
COEffilGHT DEPOSm 



The Carman's Helper 



(Third Edition) 



By Hugh K. Christie 



i i'pAot& '^ ^ f\ 6o$^^ 15U 



rublished for and distributed by the Trade Educational Bureau of the 
Brotherhood Railway Carmen of America. Approved: Martin F. 
Ryan, Genera! President. 



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"Fl?oo 

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Third Edition Copyright, 1920 

Railway Educational Press, Inc. 

Chicago : : : Illinois 



Published by 
Railway Educational Press, Inc. 

Chicago ; : : Illinois 



vJAN -3 1921 
g)CI,A605249 




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TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER I 

Introduction i 

Plea for Better Maintenance— The Difficulty of The 
Problem — Present Tendencies — Why Cars Come to The 
Rip-Track — The Value of Classified Repairs— Car 
Maintenance Standards Correspond with Mental Stand- 
ards of The Rank and File — Present Equipment — Ne- 
cessity the Mother of Invention — The Carman and His 
. Work — Qualification of The Carman — Temporary Re- 
pairs — Resourcefulness — The Blue Flag Rule — Defini- 
tions of Repairs. 

CHAPTER n 
Organization and Supervision 27 

The Human Element in Shop Efficiency — Local Condi- 
tions Govern — Qualities Demanded by The Man in 
Charge — The Importance of Personality — Promoting 
Wrongly — The Value of Optimism and Humor — The 
Foreman's Attitude Reflected in The Men — How to Han- 
dle Men — A Difference Between Men and Machines — 
Difficulties which the Car Department Labors Under — 
The Effect of Craft Organization on Shop Organization 
— Working Schedules — Typical Suggestions for Facili- 
tating Work. 

CHAPTER III 
Light Repairs and Inspection 33 

The Outside Repair Point — Interchange Records — Re- 
pairs Made — Methods Used in Repairing — Renewing 
Knuckle Pins and Brake Shoes — Journal Brasses — Re- 
newing Knuckles — Renewing Springs or Followers — Re- 
newing Lug or Draft Castings— Renewing Lug Straps 
or Gland Straps — Repairing Arch Bars — Renewing Riv- 
eted Coupler — Renewing Keyed Coupler— Light Repairs 
to Side Doors, Tracks, Door Stops, Door Hasps, Locks 
and. Guides — Taking Up Slack in Brake Rigging — Re- 
packing Journal Boxes in Train Yard — Replacing Miss- 
ing Cotter Keys — Replacing and Repairing Defective Air 
Hose, Angle Cocks and Broken Brake Pipes — Methods 
■of Work — Material Required — Tools. 

CHAPTER IV 

Points Where a Small Force Is Employed 4T 

Number of Men Employed — Conditions— Hours of Work 
— Meeting Point for Trains— Inspection— Repairs Made 
— Replacing Broken or Missing Brake Beams and Rig- 

3 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



ging — Using Second Hand Material — Taking Measure- 
ments for Brake Rods — Testing Brakes — Trussing Car 
Body — Renewing Truck Springs — Applying Spring 
Shims — Removing Truck Springs — Cars off Center — 
How Repaired — Straightening Center Pins — Closing 
Hopper Car Doors — Changing Wheels — Arch Bar Truck 
— Wheel Records, Proper Information — Care of Jour- 
nals, Boxes, Brasses, Etc. — Lining Bolt Holes in Arch 
Bars — Changing Wheels in The Fox Truck, Bettendorf 
Truck and Vulcan Truck — Methods Used — Jacking Up 
Cars for Repairs — Kinds of Wheels — Wheel Failures — 
Brake Burn or Burnt Chill — Chipped Rims — Shelled Out 
— Cracked Plates — Brake Slide — Wheel Transferring — 
Applying Draft Bolts — Center Plate Bolts — Transfer- 
ring Loads — Instructing Shippers on Proper Method of 
Loading Cars — Transferring Long Poles — Transferring 
Oil — Repairing Broken Side and End Ladders — Carding 
for Wrong Repairs — Repairing Running Board — Taking 
Records of Repairs — Proper Information. 

CHAPTER V 

The Intermediate Terminal 67 

Definition — Preparing for Promotion — The Train Yard 
— Inspection of Incoming Trains — Light Bad Order 
Tracks — Care of Hand Brakes — Division of Yard Force 
—"Light" Bad Order Card— "Heavy" Bad Order Card 
— Th€ Car Oiler — Stirring Up Packing — Mis-use of Oil 
Can — Inspection of Safety Appliances — Number of Men 
— Requirements of Safety Appliances — Tools — Two 
Handy Wrenches — Material — Repairs Made — Sill Steps 
and Hand Holds — Brake Staff and Connections — Run- 
ning Boards — Making Up Trains — Stretching Trains — 
Testing Leaks — Proper Piston Travel — Air Brake Defect 
Card — Percentage of Air Brakes in Service. 

CHAPTER VI 

Intermediate Terminal Repairs 79 

Location of Repair Tracks — Plan of Car Department 
Property — Service Tracks — Repair Tracks — Buildings — 
Number of Men Employed — Repairs Made — Light Work 
— Heavy Repairs — Draft Timbers — End Sills — End 
Plates — Adjusting Height of Couplers — Patching Coal 
Car Siding — Truck Bolsters — Swing Beam Bolsters — 
Body Bolsters— Needle Beams— Splicing Car Sills- 
Grain Leaks — Renewing Corner Posts — Renewing Ridge 
Pole— Steel Cars— Light Repairs — Straightening and 
Light Bending — Tools — Steel Draft Timbers— False 
Bracing for Shop Movement. 

4 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 



CHAPTER VII 

Freight Car Shop Repairs 91 

Outline — Methods Used — The Car Repair Problem — The 
Repair Tracks — The Shop and Equipment — Stock and 
Method of Handling — Cranes and Air Hoists — Reclaim- 
ing Material — Scaffolds — The Repairs— General Rebuild- 
ing — Bulged Gondolas — Reinforcing Car Ends — Special 
Draft Rigging Repair — Underframes — Center Channels 
— Making Money by Saving Money. 

CHAPTER VIII 

Steel Car Repairs Ill 

Separate Craft — Classification of Steel Car Repairs — 
Light Repairs Defined — Heavy Repairs Defined — Autoge- 
nous Welding — Punch and Shears — Presses — Cars Re- 
paired by Steel Workers — The "Old Man" — Rivet Guns 
— Tank Cars — Method of Gauging — Importance of Steel 
. Car Repairs. 

CHAPTER IX 

Air Brake Repairs „ 121 

Division of Work — Air Brake Parts — Brake Rigging 
Parts — Outside Work — Inside Work — The Triple Valve 
— How Tested and Cleaned — Gaskets and Seats — The 
Triple Valve Packing Ring — How to Handle Repairs to 
Ring — Feed Grooves — Slide Valve Repairs — Triple Valve 
Piston and Emergency Valve Repairs — Slide Valve 
Springs — Lubrication of The Slide Valve — Check Valve 
— Lubrication of The Piston — Retaining Valve — Test- 
ing of Same — Location of Retaining Valve — Brake Cyl- 
inders — Cleaning and Lubricating — Stenciling — M. C. B. 
Recommendations — Testing Brake Cylinders — Piston 
Travel — Rip-Track Inspection. 

CHAPTER X 
Air Brakes (Recommendations) 131 

Brake Cylinders and Reservoirs — Release Valve and Rod 
— Automatic Slack Adjusters — Pipes — Brake Pipe — Re- 
taining Valve Pipes — ^^Triple Valve Exhaust Pipe — Brak- 
ing Powar — Recommendations — Leverage — Figuring 
Braking Power — M. C B. Brake Beam Requirements 
— Hose — Hand Brake Power. 

CHAPTER XI 

Air Brakes (Testing Freight Trains) 141 

Obligations of The Mechanical Department and Trans- 
portation Department — Compressed Air at Yards — In- 

5 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



coming Test — Piston Travel — Defective Brakes from 
Over Dating — Forms for Handling Over Dated Brakes 
— Records — Brake Pipe Tests — Out Bound Tests — Brake 
Rigging Inspection — Testing Hand Brakes — Triple Valve 
Leaks — Stretching the Train — ^^The Necessity of Suffi- 
cient Number of Men for the Work. 

CHAPTER Xn 

Derailments and Derrick Cars 149 

Location — Crew — Causes of Derailments — Low Rail 
Joints — Combination Defects — Spread Track and Chill 
Worn or Flange Worn Wheels — Tractive Effort of 
Locomotive — Handling Derailments — Dispatcher's 
Knowledge of Location — Methods Used — Conditions — 
"The Big Hook" — The Wrecking Train — Tool Car- 
Tools — Other Uses for The Wrecker. 

CHAPER XHI 

Hot Boxes — , - 153 

Ideas Prevailing — Economical Methods — Danger of Hot 
Boxes — Causes — Excessive Bearing Pressure — Lack of 
Wick Contact — Excessive Friction — Properties of Pack- 
ing — Capillary Attraction — Inferior Bearing Metal — 
Brass and Lining Requirements — Crown Bearing — Brass 
Pinching The Journal — Uneven Contact — Wick Contact 
Defined — Dry Waste — Dirty Waste — Water in Packing 
—Saturation Test— Short Stock— The Value of Main- 
taining Box Covers — Preparing Waste for Packing — 
Temperature and Grade of Oil — The Soaking Vat — 
Worn Brass-Cut Journal — Changing Brass Wheel Hold- 
er — Proper Methods of Packing — Inspection of Wedges, 
Bearings, etc. — Oiling — Time of Packing Tools — The 
Best Practice. 

CHAPTER XIV 

Practical United States Safety Appliances ~ 171 

Freight Cars — Survey — Details of Equipment — Hand 
Brakes— Brake Shaft— Brake Chains— Brake Shaft Rest 
—Brake Step Foot Board— Ratchet Wheel— Brake Shaft 
Support— Brake Pawl— Brake Wheel— Location of Brake 
Shaft— Uncoupling or Operating Levers— Sill Steps — 
Caboose Platform Steps— Ladders, Side and End— Con- 
ference Ruling on Automobile Cars with Swinging End 
Doors— Ladders, Spacing of Treads— End Hand Holds, 
Horizontal and Vertical — Conference Ruling on End 
Hand Holds— Side Hand Holds, Horizontal and Verti- 

6 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 



cal — Side Door Hand Holds — Platform Hand Holds — 
Roof Hand Holds — Cupola Hand Holds — Running 
Boards — Safety Railings — End Ladder Clearances. 

CHAPTER XV 
Safety First 189 

Its Importance — The Important Thing to Do — Duties of 
Carmen — Action and Not Talk Necessary — Co-operation 
The Thing — Preventable Accidents — Improper Piling and 
Handling of Material — Watching the Unsafe Man — 
Taking Time — Importance of Signals — The Use of 
Trestles — The Deadly Nail — Safety First Appliances. 

CHAPTER XVI 

First Aid to The Injured 193 

Origin — Meaning — Its Recognition — Organization — 
Classes. 

CHAPTER XVIII 

Passenger Car Emergency Repairs 195 

Inspection — Details — Air and Steam Heat Hose — Draft 
Gear — Wheels — Truck Frames — Truss Rods — Wrenches 
— Lighting Equipment — Dynamo Belts — Body Suspen- 
sion Bolts — ^^Truck for Emergency Repairs — Handling 
and Care of Steam Heat — Pressure System — Vapor 
System — Frozen Hose — Proper Temperature of Cars — 
Leakage Valves — Working Steam through Cold Cars — 
Defective Drips — Condensation — Frozen Pipes — Care of 
Steam Hose — Automatic Drip Valves — General Rules of 
Car Heating. 



FOREWORD 

The growing recognition of the importance of the Car- 
man's work but brings added responsibility ; and as 1 
know the Carmen through long years of intimate and 
close contact, I know that that responsibility is being 
accepted in the right spirit and that today, as never be- 
fore, the Carmen of our American railroads are giving 
to the service the very best that is in them. 

The acceptance of this responsibility and the desire for 
improvement has reached me more positively in the last 
year than ever before, through many letters received 
from Carmen everywhere asking if there are not some 
books which would help to make them more efficient in 
their work. 

It is hard to say "NO" to any railroad man, but to say 
"YES" in answer to this insistent and persistent demand 
for a book which would be of real value to the Carman 
in his work, has required much time and thought in order 
that something of real value might be produced. 

The Carman's Helper is not intended to give utterance 
to any theories or ideas of my own. Rather it is a com- 
pilation of the best thought as I have obtained it from 
the hundreds of Carmen whom I count as my good 
friends. My thought has been rather to take from this 
one or that one, here or there, something that would 
be beneficial, and weld it all together in logical order 
and natural sequence ; and put it forth as compactly and 
as concisely as possible so that it might be something 
for ready and convenient use of the individual Carman. 

9 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Much has been written in regard to cars and car 
equipment but it has been spasmodic and unconnected 
utterances that have lacked the continuity and com- 
pleteness which I trust has been attained in this book. 

Far be it from me to claim any credit whatsoever for 
what appears in the pages which follow. I am under 
obligations to literally hundreds of Carmen for what ap- 
pears between the covers of this book. Some of my 
good friends in the Car Department are too modest to 
allow me to refer to them by name; and to attempt to 
give credit to the few would be an injustice to the many. 
I have been writing to the Carmen direct through a great 
many different channels for many years. I have had let- 
ters from them literally by the thousands which I have 
always read with the greatest of pleasure and tried in the 
acknowledgment of them to show my appreciation of 
the many kindly things which they have said to me and 
of my work. 

The opportunity presented here I welcome, and I say 
once more to the Railway Car Fraternity at large that 
I appreciate most deeply their friendship and good will 
and that in writing, I should rather say compiling, 
this book I have attempted to reciprocate. I submit this 
book not as a finished study but rather as a survey. 
Future revisions of the book will, I trust, be of still 
greater use and value to the Carmen of America. 

As all Carmen know, the methods of making a given 
kind of repairs to a car vary greatly and depend on the 
type of car and appliances, the number of men, and fa- 
cilities at the point where the car is repaired. 

For this reason and in order to treat of the Carman's 

10 



FOREWORD 



work intelligently, we have found it necessary to discuss 
repairs at definite points. We have selected a number of 
terminals, starting with a very small terminal or a place 
where one man does repairs on a side track and dis- 
cussed car work at this point. We have then selected 
a larger terminal, discussed the work there, and gradual- 
ly worked up to the larger terminals. 

The same kind of repairs may be mentioned in four 
or five different places in this book. But where different 
methods for doing the same kind of work are given, they 
usually show how the work is done under different con- 
ditions. 

With this in mind. The Carman should be able to use 
this book to the greatest advantage regardless of wheth- 
er he is located at a large repair point, a small repair 
point, or an intermediate repair point. 

BRUCE V. CRANDALL. 



The Third Edition. 

I can only thank the Carmen of this country for the 
quick and enthusiastic endorsement of my efforts in this 
book, imperfect as the first edition was. The response 
was so quick that the first edition was sold out in six 
months, and the second edition in eight months. 

The second and third editions were an improvement. 
Criticisms and suggestions from many Carmen have been 
acted upon in-so-far as is possible without unduly increas- 
ing the size of the book. Further suggestions are requested 
from every reader. H. K. C. 

11 



CHAPTER I. 
INTRODUCTION. 

At the present time there is a general plea for better 
maintenance of freight cars. Various influences have 
made the problem more difficult each year. The demands 
made on the cars have grown so fast that the closest 
attention to proper methods of maintenance are required. 

The general pooling of cars took away the control over 
maintenance standards of a railroad's own equipment to 
a great degree. This is particularly noticed in the box 
car. A few years ago the majority of roads had from 35 
to 45 per cent of their box cars on their own road. 
The percentage has now dropped as low as 7 to 1 2 
per cent. 

The tendency has been to slight repairs to cars, not 
alone for selfish reasons but for the reason that repair- 
ing cars of another standard presents difficulties not 
found on system cars. Material is usually on hand for 
the home road car, and the men understand these par- 
ticular repairs. 

Some method for better maintenance standards 
should be devised which would force all roads to main- 
tain higher standards. Unless this is done the general 
average throughout the country will be lowered still 
further. It would not be economical to maintain all 
cars to 100 per cent efficiency, as some ladino- can hr 
carried in cars in just a fair condition. Figures dis- 
close the fact that 72 per cent of freight requires cars 
in first-class condition, but 28 per cent can be handled 
by cars in only fair condition. 

13 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Very few cars come to the rip-track for repairs 
caused by natural wear;- or- the elements. The car body 
is the first to feel the influence of age, but even in the 
car body deterioration is effected mainly by switching 
shocks, starting and stopping, and shifting loads. The 
repairs to draft gear, trucks and air brakes are neces- 
sary because of excessive shocks, improper equipment, 
improper installation, poor maintenance and faulty re- 
pair and inspection. 

Figures have brought out the fact that the greater 
the percentage of "bad orders" on a road, the greater 
the number of men used for repair work and the greater 
the percentage of cars repaired annually ; whereas a 
minimum number of "bad orders" produces an opposite 
effect which goes to show how expensive poor main- 
tenance can be. 

A road with a high standard will cut down damage 
claims due to defective equipment and also reduce de- 
lays. This means greater dividends. Classified repairs 
would go a long way toward making every road do its 
share for bettering maintenance. 

This brings us to the problems of the individual road. 
It may have an ideal system of rules for bringing out 
that which is best but when an official in charge of 
car repairs has a high percentage of obsolete light ca- 
pacity cars which must be maintained from year to 
year, he turns instinctively to the working force to 
end his troubles. Car standards will never improve 
without a correspondingly higher mental standard in 
the rank und file which must maintain the improvement. 

The progress that has been made in the Car Depart- 
ment in the last few years is a matter of great satisfac- 
tion to the Carman of today. Those of you who have 

14 



INTRODUCTION 



followed the game from the early stages of development 
to the present time, know that the wooden underframe 
car is a relic of the ancient Car Department. 

Relics as a rule are typical of things not in general 
use. But we have many thousand wooden underframe 
cars running today. 

These cars must be kept in service for some time to 
come^ and their repairs must be maintained with the 
repairs to our more modern equipment. To do this our 
shops and repair points to a certain extent, must be 
equipped with facilities for correcting defects and 
rebuilding both wooden and steel cars. 

Necessity is the mother of invention. Because it was 
found necessary to have greater strength for heavier 
loads and greater buffing shocks, and because of safety 
requirements, we see the development of the car from 
the ancient to the modern type. 

Modern repair tracks and shops have the facilities 
for doing repair work well in the shortest possible time. 
In these days of competition it cannot be otherwise. 
The man who can keep the cars in service is the man 
who is recognized and promoted. There are many dif- 
ferences of opinion, however, as to what types of tools, 
appliances and equipment are the best. This is due 
mainly to the fact that railroading has developed so 
fast that it has seemed impossible tO' keep records and 
compile the evidence which will show by comparison 
what methods, what types of tools, appliances and equip- 
rnent are the best. 

THE CARMAN AND HIS WORK. 

The Carman, be he a repair man or an inspector, lives 
a life of his own. In no other branch of railroading is 

15 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



there the same degree of quiet reserve and resourceful- 
ness as is found among those who inspect cars and 
repair the defects commonly found. His work is such 
that his habits of life are regular. If treated with con- 
sideration and encouraged in his efforts to work for 
promotion or better money at a larger point, he will be 
found to be a stead3% industrious and conscientious 
workman. He possesses not only the qualifications of a 




A Real Carman. 

mechanic, but also receives the training which fits him 
to handle a larger station and become familiar with 
office work. The car repairer repairs parts of the cars 
found defective by the car inspector. These repairs 

16 



INTRODUCTION 



may be made in the yards or the car may be carded and 
sent to the repair track, according to the nature of the 
repairs to be made. This matter will be handled in 
detail later on. 

The Carman's work as a repair man should fit him 
for a place as an inspector by developing his faculties 
while making repairs on the repair track, as he becomes 
able to determine the seriousness of the defects found 
by inspection. He will thus learn what defects can be 
allowed to run and what must be held. 

For instance, a carload of meat, running manifest 
service Chicago to Suspension Bridge, is found at an 
intermediate point with one lug strap missing. If the 
car has cast steel Draft Arms, tie strap is in place, fol- 
lowers are tight and coupler all right for height, the car 
should not be cut out of the train and held for re- 
pairs, because it will run to its destination as it is. 
The springs, and followers cannot get out of the draft 
sills and there is very little danger of the other side 
coming down, at least during the remainder of this one 
trip. This car can wait for repairs until empty. 

But let us suppose that this car had three broken 
draft bolts in one timber and only two good bolts hold- 
ing, with two broken bolts in the opposite one ; in that 
case the car must be held for repairs. The draft gear 
has been weakened 50 per cent and one cannot afford 
to take chances on a transfer of fresh meat in case the 
end of that car pulls out. 

A second instance : slid flat, brake burnt and shelled 
out wheels are common defects caused by defective air 
or hand brakes. Wheels slid flat over 2 inches are very 
dangerous to both car and truck, besides being likely to 
damage lading, and should be repaired at the earliest 

17 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



possible moment after discovery. In cold weather the 
wheels are more brittle, and the frost is responsible for 
many broken flanges, and such defects must be remedied 
promptly. A car with a flange chipped or broken 
where the piece broken out exceeds 1% inches in length 
and % inch in depth must be taken out of service im- 




Keyed Yoke (Yoke Shown Dotted). 

mediately. M. C. B. Rules declare that under fair 
usage these are owner's defects. 

Another illustration showing how temporary repairs 
may be made to a car saving a trip to the repair track, 
is that of a temporary brake hanger bracket. In this 

18 



INTRODUCTION 



case the brake, hanger bracket, which is a part of the 
column casting, has broken and the car ordinarily would 
have to be sent to the repair track for the application of 
a new column casting. To avoid this, the temporary 
bracket is applied to the arch bar by means of the U-bolt, 
and the car can proceed to its destination. 

This, of course, can only be used on an inside hung 
brake. 







wx%n 



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<- BRAKE 
LEVBR 

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IMPROVISED 
BRAKE HANGER BRACKET. 




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HAA/GF/i 



A Temporary Repair Which Can Be Made in the Train Yard. 



Still another instance where resourcefulness can be 
shown is on a car with a missing or broken draft key. 
Ordinarily this is a repair track job as not many inspec- 
tion points carry these keys in stock. A truck lever 
may be used as a key, and a connection pin with cotter 

19 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



in each end used to hold it in place. Had this same 
car been equipped with riveted attachments and the 
rivets broke, the car would have had to be set out ?nd 
at least sent to a light repair track, where either bolts 
or rivets could be applied. 

Often the shoes for the Wagner Side Door fixtures 
become lost, and at many points repair parts are not in 
stock. When such occasions arise a one inch deck 
washer may be used as a substitute. A slot is cut in 




Improvised Side Door Fixture. 

the washer as shown and the hole is used for the door 
rod. 

Steel hopper cars, with draw-head yoke rivets broken 
or missing, when loaded to go forward, can be repaired 
in any train yard by putting in a 1^ x 14-inch bolt and 
drawing same up tightly. A locking nut should then 
be applied. 

For more permanent repairs on a car of tliis kind, 
where two yoke rivets are broken and the yoke is found 
to be all right although spread, it is not necessary to 
remove draw-head for repairing. A 1-inch bolt can 
be used to draw the yoke tightly to the coupler; then 

20 



INTRODUCTION 



a heated rivet may l)e inserted in one hole where it can 
be upset by holding a dolly against the rivet head. The 
dolly can be braced by means of a w^edge. The boll 
can then be removed and a rivet inserted in the second 
hole. A job of this kind can be done in less than 30 




^0 " Jifl/yaER OUT OF Z -/O ' 





jzo" /ym&E/? our Of v f //ook- 




s£a WD TO COL um bol t 



Temporary Repairs to Brake Hangers. 

minutes whereas the usual procedure would require at 
least two hours' time. 

When low draw heads, due to bent center sills or bent 

21 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



carrier straps, are found, they can be brought up to 
the required height by the use of shims. Some of these 
shims should always be kept in stock. They should 
measure V2 ^ M ^ 1 inch. 

Suppose a box car, equipped with outside hung brake 
beams had a 20-inch box brake hanger missing and there 
were no blacksmiths, nor even iron to make one. Under 
such circumstances two 10-inch U hangers can be placed 
together to make one hanger as illustrated on preced- 
ing page. If the hanger requires a hook at the upper 
end, a hook-hanger joined to a U-hanger whose top 
ends have been bent the right distance apart, will solve 
the difficulty. 

If a brake hanger casting is missing and the truck is 
of the arch bar type, a piece of round iron can be bent 
at right angles and an eye made at each end. The 
column bolt can be raised enough to slip one eye, 
partly opened, under the head, when the eye can be 
closed and the column bolt drawn down tightly again. 
The eye at the other end of the iron can support the 
brake hanger. (See illustration on preceding page.) 

The Carman should feel it a part of his duties to use 
his very best judgment, and, in case of doubt, take the 
safe course. He should also make an honest effort to 
reduce bad order conditions, and by thought and study 
of methods of repair, he is bound to become more 
efficient and resourceful. These qualities are in demand 
today, especially at the smaller points where but little 
repair v^ork is done. 

Carman liave emphasized the Blue Flag Rule \so 
strongly that it is thought advisable to discuss it in this, 
the first chapter. It is assuredly the rule that should be 
put foremost in all car work. The rule is as follows : 

22 



INTRODUCTION 



A BLUE flag by day and BLUE light by night, placed 
on a track or at the end of a car, engine or train, 
denotes that workmen are at work under or about the 
car, engine or train; and employes must not work at 
such places unless such BLUE signal is so placed. A 
car, engine or train thus protected must not be coupled 
to or moved until the BLUE signal is removed by the 
person who placed it. 

When a car, engine or train is protected by a BLUE 
signal, other cars must not be so placed in front of it as 
to obscure the BLUE signal without first notifying the 
workmen, that they may protect themselves. 

In order that there be no possibility of misunder- 
standing this rule, each man employed to work on or 
around cars, should be furnished a printed copy, and 
should sign a receipt, such as : 

I acknowledge receipt of a copy of above rule. I 
have read the rule and understand it. 

Name 

Occupation 

Witnesses , 

A copy of this receipt should be filed with the 
employe's application. 

"Where the person who operates under the BLUE 
signal rule is unable to understand the English language, 
this rule must be correctly interpreted to him by two 
persons and these two persons must sign and date the 
following receipt: 

"This is to certify that we understand and can read 
and speak in the English language and can interpret 

from that language, correctly, into the 

23 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



language. That we correctly interpreted the within rule 
to and he 

acknowledged that he understood it and that he signed 
the within receipt for a copy of the said rule." 

Name 

Address 

Name 

Address 

Dated 19 

The above system of handling the BLUE flag rule 
not only insures its being thoroughly understood by 
those concerned but impresses its importance upon them. 

DEFINITIONS OF REPAIRS. 

Inspection and Light Inspection Repairs — Those 
repairs which are ordinarily made in a train yard during 
the time of inspection and requiring less than one hour's 
labor are termed inspection repairs. The following are 
a few that will come under this class. — Applying missing 
nuts to all parts of body and trucks, renewing journal 
bearings, tightening loose nuts, applying brake-shoes, 
keys, hangers, hanger bolts, knuckles, knuckle locks, 
knuckle pins, operating levers, clevises, pins, links and 
castings; grab irons, (single) door hasps, locks, guides, 
shoes, seal hooks and chains and replacing and tighten- 
ing loose running board brackets. 

Light Repairs — Those repairs which are not usually 
made in train yards, except upon a "light bad order" 
track and which require from one to twenty-one hours 
actual labor are called light repairs. This class of repairs 
will include renewing journal boxes, column castings, 
truck springs, arch bars, side bearings, truck bolsters, 

24 



INTRODUCTION 



body bolsters, wheels, brake beams and connections, 
couplers complete with or without attachments, dead- 
woods, side doors, draft timbers, end sills and renewing 
2 short intermediate sills on hopper cars. 

Heavy Repairs — Those repairs which require more 
than twenty-one hours actual labor are heavy repairs. 
They include renewing complete ends, extensive under- 
frame repairs, and general rebuilding of the car body. 



2.5 



CHAPTER II. 
ORGANIZATION AND SUPERVISION 

The human element plays a greater part in shop effi- 
ciency than any other factor. This may readily be 
noted on railways having many car points with set 
rules for handling each department. Regardless of the 
strict adherence to the rules, various shop will range 
from 50 to 95 per cent efficiency, depending on the 
one in charge. It is admitted that many terminals are 
alike in many ways; nevertheless each is enough differ- 
ent to require the maximum of ability from a super- 
visory standpoint, to maintain the standard under which 
the work must be performed. 

Organization and supervision must be controlled 
largely by local conditions. What may apply at one 
point may be found impossible at another. If rules are 
to he made standard, terminals also should be. 

A man in charge must possess two main qualities. 
He must have mechanical and executive ability. Of 
the two, executive ability is the most important. An 
employe often criticises the mechanical ability of his 
superior officer, never realizing that the broader me- 
chanical vision of the officer is more important than ihe 
petty detailed mechanical information which his subordi- 
nates find necessary to use. Executive ability will al- 
ways carry a man considerably farther than mechanical 
ability. 

Every Carman possesses some qualifications which 
may bring him promotion, therefore it is important for 
him to know what qualifications are necessary in order 

27 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



to become a successful foreman. He will iind that they 
are just as necessary for success in his daily work. 

The officer in charge must be given the necessary 
authority, and all orders must go through his hands. 
He must possess moral courage and be prompt in his 
decisions. He should be broad in his views, sufficiently 
so as to be able to co-operate with the heads of other 
departments. He should be known for his fairness and 
humanity. 

A foreman must be resourceful and must show no 
favoritism. From the above it is easily seen that suc- 
cess in dealing with men depends far more on moral 
principles than on mere mechanical ability. It is rare 
for anyone to possess all the traits but a serious lack 
of any of them will retard a man's advancement. 

The official or foreman needs a strong personality 
more than anything else. Personality makes a man a 
leader of men. A man with personality naturally ac- 
quires the other qualifications mentioned above. 

Because executive ability counts for so much in higher 
positions, it is sometimes harmful in an organization 
to promote the man next in line. He may be especially 
adapted for his present position and yet fail in the 
next. 

Most organizations are successful because their 
bosses are optimistic and have a sense of humor. One- 
third of our days is spent in toil, and no one who hates 
his work can go very far in rounding out an organiza- 
tion. We are all life apprentices and any work gives 
us the privilege to learn. He who shirks his work 
pinches his intellectual progress. One can only help 
himself by helping others. 

It is remarkable how the spirit of an official is re- 

28 



ORGANIZATION AND SUPERVISION 

fleeted in the spirit of his men. If a foreman is satis- 
fied his men are satisfied. If he is a sluggard his men 
are sluggards. In an organization there is always a 
reflex action for every deed committed. It is harmful 
to be brutal in giving orders. A man who cannot con- 
trol himself has no business controlling others. Censor- 
ing a man in the presence of others has a demoralizing 
effect. A man who desires a successful organization 
must put himself continually into his men's shoes. He 
likes encouragement himself and he should encourage 
his men. If he has made a mistake in administering 
iiiscipline he should acknowledge it. And if questions 
are asked him he should give direct answers. 

J^Iany foremen complain bitterly of the attitude of 
their men. At other points satisfaction seems to reign. 
The officer who has the least trouble is one who gen- 
erally is best qualified to lead his organization. The 
man who has the personality to maintain discipline and 
still mix with his men is bound to succeed because suc- 
cessful organization depends on close mental intercourse 
The closer the Foreman or the under Foreman and the 
men can get, the better the organization. At every car 
shop the motto should be "Get along." 

At most "efficiency meetings" the whole problem of 
shop organization has revolved about various detailed 
codes for hastening work. The assumption has been 
that labor is a mere machine. The human equation has 
been ignored, yet 60 per cent of the chars^es incurred 
at shop points are direct labor charges. And it is a 
foregone conclusion that any system of handlinc^ work 
will nefver produce efficient results without the 'co- 
operation of the worker. 

The car department has not had the advantages of 

29 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



other departments. It has been run under spht au- 
thority. The mechanical man who gives the final de- 
cision on car questions is generally a graduate of the 
locomotive department. This is the reason ithe car 
department has occupied a secondary position. No 
first-class organization will be possible until the ranking 
car official has the same authority on cars that a 
superintendent of motive power has on locomotives. 

This same split authority finds its way down to the 
car foreman, who in many cases reports to a master 
mechanic directly, and to the master car builder in- 
directly. This is bound to cause poor organization. 
The car foreman and his inspectors come in contact 
with the favored department of a railroad — the trans- 
portation department. This is the favored department 
because it brings in the revenue. And the Car Fore- 
man and Car Inspector know full well that they will 
come out second best in any controversies with trans- 
portation men. 

Car terminals will never reach high efficiency until 
the importance of their work is recognized by the trans- 
portation department. 

In years past there was a tendency to discourage the 
organization of shop crafts. Although car repair work 
required skill, the nature of the work was such as to 
discourage many skilled workers. The antagonism or 
indifference to the importance of car work in the minds 
of railroad officials, produced a tendency to maintain 
a low wage scale in this particular line of work. A 
low scale of wages invites only cheap labor. Those 
who have fought against higher wages find that they 
have got what they have argued for and lost prestige 
themselves. While both locomotive officials and their 

30 



ORGANIZATION AND SUPERVISION 

shop crafts openly fought, for the apprenticeship system 
for better mechanics, it was not thought necessary to 
follow out the same course in the car department. 

Things have changed for the better in the last few 
years. Although some shops are still reactionary along 
these lines, nevertheless there is an awakening. Car 
organizations are realizing this need, and a course of 
learning is being mapped out for the carman apprentice. 
When this has been done a long step has been taken 
toward better shop organization. 

Working schedules are a great aid toward efficient 
production. EVen if they are made too high, they 
create a goal to work toward. Records also prove in- 
valuable. Time studies produce astonishing results. 
A foreman may be able to revolutionize his point by the 
information drawn from his records. 

There are some features of such importance in fa- 
cilitating car work that they deserve mention here. 
Among these are proper appliances for the handling of 
various parts rapidly, special tools for quantity produc- 
tion, and jigs and templates for large quantity produc- 
tion. The latter also eliminate errors in laying out by 
hand. 

Machines should have proper feeds and speeds for 
various metals. Rough material should be selected 
which has no excess stock. Without having the organ- 
ization top heavy, let there be enough supervision so 
that time is not lost by men waiting for foremen nor for 
work. See to it that the first part needed is the first 
part scheduled and, also see that the men have proper 
tools to do their work. And last but not least, check 
your system from time to time and if found wanting, 
locate the trouble and fix It yourself Instead of blaming 
some one else. Successful organization means that 
everyone must carry his share of the load. 

31 



CHAPTER III. 
LIGHT REPAIRS AND INSPECTION. 

In this chapter are described the duties and work of 
one carman at an outside point. 

Being stationed at such a point his work must consist 
mainly of inspection repairs, possibly on an interchange. 
While repairs will usually be inspection repairs, some 
light repairs may be made when necessary. Light or 
inspection repairs may be made to cars on industrial 
sidings. 

Inspection — The inspection, if on an interchange, 
should be close and accurate, taking clear and concise 
records of the condition of each car as found, regardless 
of responsibility for defects. Subsequent damage to 
car or lading may call for the records of that particular 
car at that point. 

In making up inspection records the following infor- 
mation should be shown: 

Date Month Day Year 

Hour: A. M. or P. M. car was received. 
Number, initial and kind of car. 

The defects found should be described briefly and cor- 
rect location given according to M. C. B. Rule 14. 
Conditions of lading should be noted on report if on open 
cars, such as timbers, lumber, structural iron, billets, 
stone, etc., and a notation made if box cars show signs 
of pilferage. Such cases should always be brought to 
the attention of the agent immediately and repairs made, 
or temporary protection placed in the doorway and the 
door cleated if proper repairs cannot be made. 

33 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Empty Freight Equipment. — ^Any car for interchange 
should be suitable for the load it is to carry and upon 
this depends its subsequent movement. 

Cars for grain or flour should have tight flooring, 
sides, ends, and roofing, should be clean and free 
from odors. For merchandise not susceptible to imme- 
diate damage, the roof must be free from leaks but 
ordinarily not to the same extent as a car loaded with 
grain, flour or cement. 

For coarse freight loading, such as lime, ingots, 
spelter, pulpwood ^nd commodities not affected by 
weather, the body should be in fair condition. 

Open-top equipment in ore loading districts must 
have special inspection to ascertain whether sides 
can withstand the lading, and hoppers and attachments 
should receive rigid attention for defects. All other 
equipment of the hopper or gondola type for general 
utility loading may be inspected on the ordinary inter- 
change basis. 

Inspection, however, represents only one-half of the 
work. If proper repairs are not made after located, 
the inspection is merely a waste of time. 

Repairs That Can Be Handled By One Carman — 
One Carman can handle such work as : tightening loose 
nuts on bolts or rods on all parts of car body or trucks ; 
nailing loose boards on body of car and tightening 
screws in running boards ; patching holes in decks, sides, 
ends or roof; (Note: Patch work is not a recommended 
practice and is money wasted ; it is the good solid repairs 
that a car receives which increases the life of the car 
as well as makes it possible to keep the car in service 
daily) ; replacing worn or broken knuckle pins, brake 
shoes, brake heads, brake-shoe keys, journal brasses, 

34 



LIGHT REPAIRS AND INSPECTION 

knuckles, springs, follower plates, lug castings, lug 
straps, operating levers, chains, brackets, arch bars, 
couplers, etc. ; making light repairs to door tracks, door 
stops, door hasps, etc. ; taking up slack in brake rig- 
ging, repacking boxes, replacing missing cotter keys in 
ley bolts, brake staffs, devise pins, operating rod at- 
tachments or in any style of bolt or rod where a cotter or 
split key is used; replacing defective or missing air hose 
and angle cocks, and repairing broken train lines. 

In other words, the repairs to which a Carman should 
devote his time, should as a general proposition, be of a 
light nature; a class of work that could be handled by 
one man unaided by a blacksmith or carpenter; and 
would consist largely of work necessary for the safe 
movement of cars and contents. 

Knuckle Pins. — To replace a worn or broken 
knuckle pin simply drive the old pin out of the coupler 
head and replace it with a new one. 

Brake Shoes. — Brake shoes are renewed by removing 
the key, if there is one, in the brake head and inserting 
the new shoe in the slots in the head, then replacing the 
key, being sure that the key engages both shoe and 
brake head ; otherwise the shoe will drop out and the 
brake beam may fall to the rail, if not properh^ sup- 
ported. 

Repairs to brake beams which necessitate new parts 
should not be made under a car. The beams should be 
sent to the repair shop where proper gaging and ten- 
sion and deflection tests may be made after new parts 
have been applied. 

Journal Brasses — This subject will be discussed 
under the heading of hot boxes in a later chapter. 

Renewing Knuckles — While the operation of 

35 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



renewing knuckles differs somewhat in different 
couplers, the principle is the same in all. The car must 
be uncoupled if in a string, and enough opening ob- 
tained to permit a person to work in front of the coupler. 
The knuckle lock is raised, the knuckle pin removed and 
in the majority of cases when the knuckle is turned to- 
ward the open position it will fall out of the coupler. 
To apply a knuckle the operations are simply performed 
in the reverse order. 

Renewing Springs or Followers — To renew springs 
or followers on either the single or tandem spring gear5 
the coupler pocket must be lowered to allow the plates 
or springs to be removed. This is done by removing 
the nuts from the lug strap bolts, and loosening the 
carrier iron bolts. The pocket will drop far enough to 
allow the broken parts to be removed and new ones 
applied. The pocket is then jacked or raised into place 
and lug straps replaced and nuts tightened. 

Renewing Lug or Draft Castings — To renew a 
broken lug casting the coupler and attachments are 
removed, and after cutting off or removing the lug 
bolt nuts the broken pieces are removed and a new 
solid casting is bolted in place. The coupler, springs 
and followers are then replaced as described. 

Lug Straps or Gland Straps — To apply a gland 
strap, a jack is set on the coupler pocket to raise the 
springs and followers up in the lug castings, and "the 
strap is slipped over the lug strap bolts. The nuts are 
then applied. A wrench to finish tightening the nuts 
can be used to better advantage if the jack is then let 
down and taken out of the way. 

Repairing Arch Bars — To repair a set of arch bars 
the weight of the car must be taken from the truck. 

36 



LIGHT REPAIRS AND INSPECTION 

Then the car should be placed on trestles as it may take 
several hours to finish repairs of this nature, unless it is 
a system car and such repairs are carried in stock. 

Using trestles not only makes the car more secure, but 
leaves the jacks free to be used for other repairs, should 
they be needed. On certain types of cars, such as tank 
and self -clearing dump cars, it is not necessary to 
run out the truck as these cars have sufficient clear- 
ance above column bolts to^ permit their removal; while 
on other types it is impossible to jack them high enough 
at one setting to remove column and box bolts. To 
hold the bolster and sand plank in place, a chain is placed 
around the bolster and sand plank, and both are raised 
slightly to remove the bottom arch bar. The broken 
or bent parts can be removed by taking out the two 
column bolts and all four box bolts. 

To apply again, the bottom arch bar is placed in posi- 
tion first, the top arch bar next and the tie bar or 
stretcher strap last. Before allowing the weight to rest 
on the truck, all journal boxes should be examined to 
see that brass and wedges are in correct position. 

At outside car repair points some roads supply blue 
prints as shown in the sketch with the brief instructions 
regarding arch bar repairs mentioned below given on the 
print. 

"Inspectors in ordering arch bars by wire or letter will 
be governed by this sketch, following each letter with 
the dimensions between the point indicated by the arrow- 
heads : 

"Example: — Send one lower arch bar for B. & A. 
Box No. 1032. 60,000 capacity A-8'', B-17'', C-9", 
D-11", E-10", F-1", G-5'-9", H-lOi/s", I-No lug, 
J-15/16", K-1 3/16", L-4". 

37 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



"Any unusual shaped arch-bar not covered by the 
sketch would require further explanation or special 
sketch." 

Tightening Column Posts and Oil Box Bolts — Tight- 
ening bolts on trucks is an important operation from 




Sketch Used for Ordering Arch Bars 

the standpoint of safety, and it is an operation which 
can be handled economically by one man. Because the 
Carman can do the work from the side of the car, it 
is an operation carrying with it little risk. The princi- 
pal trouble experienced in tightening the nuts is that 
the bolts turn. This can be prevented by placing a 
wrench, or a specially designed cap fitting over the arch 
bar and head of bolts in a manner which will hold the 
bolt from turning. Accidents sometimes result from 
this operation because the wrench, which is placed on 
top of the bolt, slips and strikes the Carman. It is es- 
sential, therefore, that the wrench be so placed on the 
l^ead of bolt that it will not slip; and if it does, that it 
will hit the wheel or body of the car. 

Sometimes box and column bolts will twist off when 
tightening them, necessitating renewal. On heavily 
loaded cars, or where it i- not possible to jack the car, 



LIGHT REPAIRS AND INSPECTION 

I he bolt may be removed by cutting off the head, dig- 
ging a hole in the ground, and removing the bolt from 
the bottom instead of the top. 

With autogenous welding, where nuts twist off or 
heads snap oft" of bolts, it is possible to weld on a nut 
without removing the bolt. Of course this would not be 
possible at a small point. Carmen should remember 
that kerosene poured freely on nuts or bolts soaks in 
arovmd the threads and tends to loosen the nuts, mak- 
ing it possible to remove nuts which seemingly are im- 
movable. 

Where possible, the threads of oil box and column 
bolts should be of sufficient length to draw the arch 
bars up to their respective positions. If the threads 
are not long enough, the bolt should be removed and 
the thread run back. As a makeshift, however, wash- 
ers can be used to offset the lack of thread. All oil 
box and column bolts should have some form of grip 
nut applied. A square box wrench made from spring 
steel is a very satisfactory wrench to use in tightening 
up bolts, because it is light and strong, although the 
S-wrench is the more common type. 

Renewing Riveted Coupler — In renewing couplers 
the operation depends upon the type of draft gear and 
attachments in use. There are two kinds of yokes, 
riveted and keyed. To renew or replace a coupler with 
riveted yoke, both coupler and yoke must be removed 
from the car and a good coupler and yoke of the same 
size applied in its place. This is difficult work, but in 
an emergency can be done by one man. 

To renew a coupler with a riveted yoke, first, ' dis- 
connect the pin lifter from the knuckle lock; remove all 

39 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



the nuts from the carrier iron bolts except one on each 
side of the coupler shank. 

Second. Remove the tie plates, etc., under the yoke 
and other parts depending, of course, on the kind of 
gear. 

Third. Remove knuckle and using a bar in the end 
of the coupler — bear down until the lug straps can be 
removed, then let the end of the yoke rest on a plank, 
of which one end rests on the car axle, the other end on 
the ground. 




One Way to Chain a Coupler for Swinging 

Fourth. Raise the coupler body, remove the carrier 
iron and let the coupler rest on the board and slide it 
from under the car. 

To replace the coupler and yoke lay them on the board 
and slide them up onto the axle and into po.sition to 
raise; when ready, lift the coupler into place and apply 
the carrier iron ; or hang the coupler on a light chain 

40 



LIGHT REPAIRS AND INSPECTION 

suspended from the operating lever or the carrier iron 
bolts in the deadwood. Next place a draw bar jack on 
the yoke and raise it to the required height in the sills 
or use a bar and bear down on it, as in removing the 
coupler. The lug straps and tie plates are again ap- 
plied and the jack removed to allow a wrench to be used 
in tightening the nuts on these parts. Replace the pin- 
lifter chain or connection to the knuckle lock. 

Renewing Keyed Coupler — To renew a keyed 




Chaining a Coupler to Operating Lever When Changing 

coupler is much simpler. It is only necessary to remove 
the coupler key, the carrier iron and then the coupler, 
the yoke remaining in place. To apply the new coupler, 
enter the shank squarely in the sleeve and replace the 
key and carrier iron. On some types of cars the removal 
of the carrier iron is not even necessary, as enough room 
will be found between the carrier iron and end sill to 
give the coupler a quarter turn and slide it into place. 

41 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



This depends, too, on the size of the butt of the coupler. 

Light Repairs to Side Door, Tracks, Door Stops, 
Door Hasps, Locks and Guides — The repairs at this 
point consist mainly of tightening nuts on door-track 
bolts or applying new bolts where broken. Renewing 
broken door stops is work that can be done to better ad- 
vantage at larger repair points, as that class of material 
is not usually kept on hand at smaller points. 

The application of door hasps, locks and guides is 
work that can be done here if the Carman's duties are 
such that time permits. To renew a door hasp the bolt is 
removed from the door hasp hook and the broken hasp 
taken off ; then the hook and hasp are replaced and bolted 
again. Door locks and guides are removed in like 
manner. On some types of cars the door lock is bolted 
to the door stop and must be removed to renew the lock. 

Taking up Slack in Brake Rigging — This subject 
will be taken up in detail in the chapters on air brakes 
and brake rigging. It is an important item of repairs. 

Repacking Boxes — At this point where the Carman 
is stationed alone, not a great deal of time, perhaps, will 
be found to repack boxes except those absolutely de- 
manding attention. It is important, though, that where 
possible every box on every car be examined, dirty and 
worn out packing removed, and good packing stirred 
up in the boxes and brought up to the journals. The 
use of a packing which is more permanently resilient 
than the ordinary wool and cotton waste will reduce 
this work. 

If every Carman could repack the boxes on one car 
complete every day, there would be over 90,000 cars re- 
packed each day. This would help to relieve the hot 
box situation. 

42 



LIGHT REPAIRS AND INSPECTION 

Replacing Missing Cotter Keys — By carrying a few 
different sized cotters on a wire, or in the pocket, the 
Carman can replace many missing keys. Simply driving 
a self-spreading" cotter into the pin, brake mast or 
hanger bolt completes the repair. 

Missing box-bolt nuts have become so prevalent even 
though the bolts are drilled for cotter keys that par- 
ticular stress is laid on the importance of giving this 
matter close attention. J\Ien on light repairs and run- 
ning tracks should key these bolts, if they have a hole, 
opening keys properly. If there is no hole for a cotter 
or spring key a locking nut should be used to protect 
the nut. 

One-inch bolts should always be used with journal 
boxes on the Fox trucks as the yoke and frame are 
likely to break and cause a wreck without their use. 

Repairing and Replacing Defective Air Hose, Angle 
Cocks and Broken Train Lines — In renewing missing 
air hose, the new hose is screwed into the angle cock 
and tightened snugly with a wrench. When set to cor- 
rect position, the coupling of the hose should point to- 
ward a central line with a vertical plane of the outside 
edge of knuckle and center of coupler with knuckle open. 
This will insure a correct coupling and avoid twisting 
the hose and causing undue wear on gaskets. 

To change an angle cock, turn the angle cock handle 
at right angles to the brake pipe. Remove the air hose 
and turn the angle cock handle in line again. Next re- 
move the angle cock from the brake pipe and replace it 
with a good one. Screw it on tight, being sure that none 
of the threads are crossed. When set correctly, at an 
angle of 30 degrees to the right from center vertical line 
of brake pipe, the air hose will couple properly. 

43 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



In repairing broken train lines the methods of work 
depend largely upon the location of the broken parts; 
one Carman will usually be called upon only to repair 
that most frequent and simple break, one at the angle 
cock nipple. 

On a great many roads it is common practice to place 
a 10 or 12-inch nipple immediately back of the angle 
cock "to facilitate repairs when breaks occur here. As- 
suming that the train line is broken at the coupling be- 
tween the nipple and brake pipe proper and that the 
threads on the nipple inside the coupling have been 
damaged proceed as follows : Loosen the pipe clamp, 
remove the air hose, angle cock, nipple and coupling. If 
threads are good on brake pipe, apply a new coupling 
and a new nipple, and replace the angle cock and air 
hose; tighten up all joints and be sure that the clamp 
is secure and in proper position. A flexible protector of 
proper design will greatly decrease the frequency of 
nipple end defects. 

The subject of further repairs to air brakes and brake 
rigging will be covered in later chapters. 

Material Required at One Man Station — The stock 
of material carried at this point should not be large, but 
should be neatly and compactly arranged under shelter 
and in suitable bins. It should include air and signal 
hose and gaskets; 1J4 angle cocks and ^ and 1^4 -inch 
cutout cocks and extra handles for all ; bolts ranging in 
size from ^ by 2 inches to ^ by 7 inches for repairs 
to doors and door track; other bolts in 3^, ^, ^, ]/s, 1, 
l}i, lyi and l^/^-inch sizes in suitable lengths to take 
care of repairs ; a stock of nuts from size y% inch up 
to 1^ inches; brake hangers, pins, shoes, keys, ratchet 
wheels, brake wheels, brake masts, beams, levers, rods 

44 



LIGHT REPAIRS AND INSPECTION 

and guides; a few of each size of brass and wedges; 
couplers with and without pockets ; knuckles, pins and 
locks ; car chains ; steam hose and extra gaskets ; various 
pipe fittings and nipples ; castings such as draft lugs, 
journal boxes, column castings and guides ; truck springs; 
door hooks, hasps and locks ; draft springs, follower 
plates and lug straps ; grab irons, sill steps, operating 
levers, clevises, pins, links, lag screws, operating castings 
and cotter keys in several sizes ; a small stock of lumber, 
such as roofing, siding, lining and a few pieces of dressed 
pine of 8 or 10-inch width for patching floors and board- 
ing doorways ; a supply of car paint and nails and a 
small stock, at least one pair, of mounted wheels of 
each size journal for emergency cases. 

Tools — The tools for the Carman should cover all 
special wrenches necessary for certain special service 
cars which may be assigned to his district, and tools such 
as 2^ -inch wrenches for Cardwell Friction Draft Gear, 
S-wrenches from ^ inch to 1^ inches (the 1^-inch 
being the wrench for the column bolts on 100,000 ca- 
pacity cars), 10-inch and 18-inch pipe wrenches, 1^4 -inch 
Calumet die starter, 12-inch monkey wrench, cape chisel, 
flat chisels, round-nose chisels, diamond-point chisels 
(for cutting out broken pipes in angle cocks, etc.), wood 
chisels, 2 hammers, 2 saws, screw driver, nail puller, 8- 
pound sledge, steel drift pins (various sizes), nail set, 
25-ton journal jacks, two 50-ton car jacks, one draw bar 
jack, two sets packing irons and packing hooks, packing 
bucket, inspector's lantern, blue flag, blue lantern, pinch 
bar, assorted size blocking, chisel bar, tool for removing 
air hose gaskets and center punch. 



45 



CHAPTER IV. 
POINTS WHERE A SMALL 'FORCE IS EMPLOYED 

In the foregoing chapter, the Carman's work and 
methods of inspection and repairs are dealt with under 
somewhat limited conditions. Without help and having 
both the inspection and repair work to do, it is impos- 
sible for the Carman to engage in extensive repairs to 
any except light, bad order cars ; or what are frequently 
called inspection or running repairs, such repairs as re- 
quire less than one hour actual labor. 

In this chapter we take up his work under better con- 
ditions, for many hands make light labor; and at this 
point a small force of men, possibly eight including the 
foreman, are employed. We will assume that the stand- 
ard eight-hour day is being worked and the force is 
divided as follows : Foreman and three men on duty 
8 A. M. to 4 P. M. and two men on duty each of the 
other shifts. 

The hours of work should be arranged to suit the 
station as there may be certain times during the night 
that only one man is needed on duty. The foreman 
must use his best judgment in these matters. 

This point we will assume is a watering station where 
all trains, both freight and passenger stop possibly 5, 10 
or 15 minutes. It may be a meeting point for local 
freights and switch runs and a few industrial plants are 
likely to be located here, and we assume it is a good 
grain country. 

Under these conditions there will be plenty of work 
for all and a small repair track will be set aside for the 

47 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



use of the Carmen. This track should be straight, level 
and with a good gravel ballast covered with cinders and 
suitably drained. It should be long enough to hold six 
cars with cuts of 6 to 10 ,feet between, and should clear 
all other tracks at least 8 feet between car sides so that 
men can operate jacks and work without danger of be- 
ing struck by passing cars or engines. 

Inspection for safety will be given all freight and pas- 
senger trains and if time will permit light repairs may 
be made such as box nuts, brake shoes, keys, clevises, 
etc. Any serious defects should be reported to the train 
crew and request made to set the car out for repairs or 
transfer as the case may be. Local freight and switch 
trains remaining for several hours at this point offer an 
excellent opportunity for careful inspection and further 
light repairs and repacking of boxes. 

The trains of course, must not be delayed or flagged, 
that is, using the blue flag; and repairs should be con- 
fined to those parts of the car outside the rail or only in 
places where the Carman will be in no danger while 
making repairs. The subject of light repairs and 
methods of doing the work has been covered in the 
previous chapter and we will pass on to a class of work 
that is usually done on the repair track where more 
help is provided. 

The following defects may be repaired at a repair 
point of this size very satisfactorily, missing or broken 
brake-beams or brake rigging, car body in need of 
trussing, missing or broken truck springs, cars off cen- 
ter, defective wheels, broken grab irons, sill steps, side 
ladders either wood or metal, running boards, missing 
draft bolts, center plate and box bolts, shifting and 
transferring loads; these in addition to other repairs 

48 



^ THE SMALL REPAIR POINT 

of a lighter nature which were covered in the preceding 
chapter. 

By working in pairs the work is made much easier 
and is more quickly performed. 

Repairing or Replacing Missing or Broken Brake 
Beams or Brake Rigging — When a car is spotted for 
repairs or renewal of brake beams, the repair man 
must determine whether new beams are necessary or 
whether that which is broken can be repaired. If only 
a head or a fulcrum is broken, the beam may be taken 
down and new parts applied if they are in stock or if 
they can be obtained from scrap bins. But if the body 
is badly bent or broken, a good beam should be applied 
in place of the broken one. 

Second-hand material should always be used in mak- 
ing repairs to delivering-line defects, except on the au- 
thority of a defect card. In the latter case new material 
should be used as bill can be rendered for it. In the 
case of the repairs, ''one missing and one broken beam," 
two secondhand brake beams that are standard to the 
car should be used. One beam will be a right hand 
and one will be left hand. Standing behind the beam 
and assuming that the truck lever is in place, the side 
to which the top of the lever leans, marks the beam 
right or left. This is a universal understanding among 
all brake beam companies and repair men. 

To apply the beams, assuming that all hangers are 
in place, note the location of the free end of the floating 
or cylinder lever, (if the top brake rod is missing) and 
proceed to hang the beam nearest the center of car 
first; being sure to get the right throw of the fulcrum 
to make proper connections. Now apply the opposite 
beam and both truck levers and connect the truck dead 

49 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



lever to the dead lever guide. The bottom connection 
may now be applied (if the beams are inside hung) 
making sure that both truck levers stand at an angle 
of 30 degrees toward the truck bolster. 

Measurements may now be taken for the top con- 
nection rod after pushing the cylinder lever back firmly 
against the brake cylinder. This insures a piston travel 
that is not excessive. Both brake beams should be 
pulled up snug against the wheels when measurements 
are taken. After all connections are made, suitable 
cotter keys should be applied to all pins. Brake should 
be tested and piston travel adjusted if air is available. 

Trussing a Car Body — A car body may be trussed 
up in two ways: (1) Set jacks in the center and take 
the weight of the car, then with truss rod wrenches 
tighten the nuts on ends of rods: (2) Tighten the turn- 
buckles in the center of the truss rods. A specially 
designed, long handled wrench, the handle end made 
from double strength pipe, makes an excellent wrench 
for tightening truss-rod nuts. 

A specially designed ratchet wrench is a good tool 
for tightening the turnbuckles ; it is possible to use a 
bar, but very inconvenient. 

Renewing Truck Springs — Where the roadbed is 
soft, truck springs require frequent renewals. While 
it is possible to fill in with blocks instead of lenewing 
the springs outright, this makeshift causes additional 
strain on the truck parts. Besides, permanent work 
should always be done if at all possible. Temporary 
work at the very least must be DONE OVER and MAY 
result in additional damage to other parts of the car. 
In removing the spring, jacks should be set at each 
side near the end of the car, and a chain should be 

50 



THE SMALL REPAIR POINT 

placed around the truck bolster and transom or body 
bolster; then as the car is raised, the truck bolster also 
raises and frees the spring, which can then be removed 
and a new one inserted. 

While the above method is the recommended practice, 
the spring may sometimes be removed by setting a jack 
under the end of the bolster. Usually there is little 
chance of getting a hold on the bolster and setting the 
jack securely enough to do this. 

Car Off Center — Cars off center may be replaced 
by setting jacks under each corner at one end of car 
and raising the body until the truck can be placed in 
position. Sometimes the car body will have shifted out 
of line with the center line of track, and it is then neces- 
sary to move the car body. This may be accomplished 
by setting the jack against the rail at the bottom with 
the top resting against the coupler or draft timbers, and 
jacking the car into proper position. Or a car may 
be set over by simply tilting the jacks in the direction 
opposite to that the car is to be set over; and when 
weight is taken the jacks simply straighten up and the 
car body moves over. 

After a truck is moved in proper position in rela- 
tion to the center plates, the center pin (or king pin) 
should be applied. The Carman must keep his hands 
from between center plates to prevent injury in case the 
jacks slip. 

When a car is knocked off center, the center pin is 
usually bent and it is necessary to straighten it before 
it will enter the bolster. The autogenous welding 
method can be used to heat the pin, and straighten it; 
but we do not always have this, neither do we always 
know the contents of the car, and whether it is safe to 

61 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



use the flame. A method practiced by many is as fol- 
lows : A heavy box wrench or a heavy wrench opening 
at the side is hooked onto the bolt, one end of the 
wrench is rested on the block or truck, the weight of 
the car is let down and the center pin will straighten 
out. 

Carmen at this point may never be called on to 
handle the above operation but if a car is knocked off 
center, it must be repaired before it can be moved. 
Things of this kind are continually coming up where 
the Carman is called upon to do that for which he is 
poorly equipped in tools and materials. As a rule he 
works his way out with little assistance, accomplishing 
results with the most antique class of tools. His train- 
ing sharpens his thinking capacity and he evolves in- 
genious methods of doing work. 

Closing Hopper Doors — The drop bottoms of loaded 
coal cars are sometimes left carelessly or improperly 
fastened and blocked. If it is not possible to put the 
locking device in its correct position, and if the drop 
bottom cannot be blocked so as to guard against loss 
of lading, the car should be held for instructions, which 
no doubt will order a complete transfer of lading or 
of a sufficient amount to permit the closing of the 
doors. 

Carmen should realize that there is a certain amount 
of deterioration when transferring lading. Many of the 
companies customers (especially coal consumers) refuse 
lading after a transfer. With this fact in mind the 
Carman will appreciate the importance of, at times, re- 
sorting to other than standard methods, if by so doing 
he can save money for the company. 
. Changing Wheels — The job of changing wheels 

52 



THE SMALL REPAIR POINT 

varies in detail with the kind of truck upon which the 
work is done and upon whether the pair is "inside" or 
'outside" as we express it. 

Before raising the car from the truck be sure that 
the wheels on the opposite truck are securely blocked 
both ways to prevent the car moving; the action of the 
jacks moving the car upward tend to draw it toward 
them. 

More arch bar trucks are in use today than any other 
type. For applying a pair of ''outside" wheels in this 
truck a space of 8 ft. at the end of the car is necessary. 
Set the jacks on secure blocking at the body bolster and 
raise the car high enough to clear the wheels on the end 
sill as thy are rolled out. Remove the packing from the 
journal boxes and remove the box bolt nuts. The box 
bolts may then be lifted or driven out, and a small 
screw or brass jack placed under the sand plank or 
column casting on each side of truck near the wheels 
that are to be removed. The weight of the truck is 
then raised from the journal boxes allowing about /4-in. 
clearance. 

The wheels may now be run out with the journal 
boxes on the axle. Next remove the journal boxes, 
brasses and wedges and clean the boxes out thoroughly. 
The wheels may now be removed and taken to the 
scrap track. A record of the wheels and axle should 
be made showing the following information: 
Date Month Day Year 

Car Number Initial Kind End 

Location of wheels, viz : R&L 1-2-3-4. 

Why removed, viz: Cut journal, worn thru chill, etc. 

Maker of wheel — date cast — shop number. 

Initial of road shown on wheel and wheel number. 

53 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



together with any other special markings which ma) 
be found. 

The record of the axle removed must show : 

Whether M. C. B. standard or not. 

Size of collar. 

Diameter of Journal. 

Length of Journal. Show the smaller dimension 
where two are accessible. 

Diameter of center of axle. 

Diameter of wheel fit. 

Length of axle overall. 

A similar record should be taken of wheels applied. 

The journals on the old pair of wheels should be 
painted with a coating of car oil and graphite to pre- 
serve the finished surfaces. Some roads take extra 
precautions by using circular pieces of tin, old galvan- 
ized roofing or some other rust preventative as an 
added protection against damage to journals. 

In applying the new wheels after they have been 
placed upon the track opposite the truck, clean the 
journals thoroughly and see that they are free from 
rough spots or seams; place the journal boxes on the 
axle and apply the brasses, first having given the brass 
a coating of oil. This will preserve the finished sur- 
face of the bearings and furnish lubrication until the 
car has moved far enough to draw oil from the waste 
in the box. The wedge is next applied and the wheels 
are ready to be placed in the truck. 

Holding the journal box level, the wheels are rolled 
toward the truck, entering the journal box between the 
arch bars. When in the correct position, the box bolts 
are driven down and nuts drawn tight. The boxes are 
then repacked with good packing and the car lowered 

54 



THE SMALL REPAIR POINT 



to the trucks, making sure that all wedges and brasses 
are in proper place. 

The illustration shows a very handy tool for lining 




Drift pin for lining arch bars. 

box bolt holes in arch bars that are slightly sprung. 
Every car repairer knows that, in trying to enter the 
bolts through the two arch bars and journal boxes, 
if the holes do not line up right, it is impossible to line 
them up without destroying the threads on the bolt. By 
driving this drift pin in the outside hole, the arch bars 
are lined up and will remain so while the bolt in the 
second hole is applied and tightened. The drift may 
then be removed and the front bolt applied. 

Changing Wheels in the Fox Truck — This truck is 
better known as the pedestal truck having a solid truck 
side, and we will assume that the wheels to be changed 
are the outside pair. Before raising the car from the 
truck, two light chains are passed from the body bol- 

55 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



ster round the truck side, just ahead of the cross bear- 
ing on each side, drawing them tight. Next remove 
the packing from the boxes, remove the two pedestal 
bolts, and the spreader castings. Jack the car up. As 
the car raises, the truck sides come up with it, and by 
the time the pedestals will clear the journal boxes, the 
wheels will clear the end sill. 

The balance of the operation is the same as for the 
arch bar type trucks. 

Changing Wheels in the Bettendorf Truck — In this 
type of truck the journal boxes are cast integral with 
the truck sides and there are no arch bars. In a change 
of wheels this truck must be run out and a space of 12 
ft. is necessary to work in. The car is raised to clear 
the wheels and the top brake rod is disconnected. The 
whole truck is moved out far enough to permit work- 
ing on all four boxes and the packing is first removed 
after which the brass and wedges are taken out of the 
boxes. 

The truck springs are removed and the sand plank 
blocked up just inside the rail. The truck sides, if not 
rusted fast, can now be lifted ofif over the ends of the 
journals, using jack bars or something similar under 
each journal box at the sam.e time. Sometimes the parts 
get stuck or rusted together. It is difficult to loosen 
them if this has happened and hours are sometimes 
wasted. The entire truck is dismantled and rebuilt in 
this operation. 

Changing Wheels in the Vulcan Truck — The Vulcan 
truck is a cast steel truck, built along pedestal lines. 
The journal box is fastened to the truck frame by the 
interlocking of the frame and box and a horizontal bolt 
through the two castings at the top of the box. 

56 



THE SMALL REPAIR POINT 

The change of wheels is similar to that of the pedestal 
type but much quicker. Before raising the car body, 
chain the truck sides to the frame of the car ahead of 
the body bolster, if the wheels to be removed are the 
''outside" pair. If not, do not use a chain at all but 
jack the car to clear the truck, remove the center pin 
and brake connection pin, and run the truck out after 
placing suitable trestles under the car. There should 
be at least 8 ft. clearance between the truck and car. 

Remove the packing from the boxes, remove the jour- 
nal box bolts, and set a track jack on each side just 
back of the journal box on the frame. Raise the frame 
to clear the boxes and run the wheels away from the 
truck to remove the boxes, brasses and wedges. The 
wheels may now be taken to the scrap track and new 
ones brought to replace them. 

After the good wheels have been placed on the rail 
be sure they are in line with the truck before applying 
the journal boxes. Apply the journal boxes, brasses 
and wedges and hold the box level while the wheels 
are rolled • into position. Now lower the two track 
jacks, apply the two box bolts and repack the boxes. 
Run the truck under the car and let the car down after 
which the brake rigging may be connected again. 

The thing to remember is, keep everything clean, 
and be sure that all parts of the journal box are in 
correct position before leaving the car. Many hot boxes 
have been caused by repairmen not looking to see if 
brasses and wedges were in the proper place. 

Jacking Up Cars for Repairs — After raising a car 
on jacks the only safe practice is to set a trestle under 
the car and lower it until a proportion of the car's 
weight rests on the trestle. Then if the jack fails to 

57 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



sustain the weight imposed on it, the trestle will hold 
the car steady. 

Wheels — There are two kinds of car wheels in use 
at the present day; chilled cast iron wheels and steel 
wheels. There are three types of steel wheels; the cast 




Trestles for Supporting Cars 

steel wheel, the forged or rolled steel wheel, and the 
steel-tired wheel. The last mentioned is gradually be- 
coming a thing of the past. The chilled iron wheel was 
the first used, and is still used more than any other 
on account of its low first cost. 

Wheel Failures — Wheel failures or defects which 
justify renewals are as follows: 

Sharp flange or worn flange, shelled out, burnt chill, 
either from sliding or from brake application, worn 
tread, worn through the chill, chipped flange, chipped 

58 



THE SMALL REPAIR POINT 

rim, etc. The most common causes necessitating re- 
moval are worn flanges; next, worn tread, tread worn 
hollow; then, brake burn, brake slide, shelled out, worn 
through tread and cracked flanges. 

Worn flanges are often caused by mismating of wheels 
when first mounted. Wheels should not be mounted 
on an axle when tape size does not correspond. A 
truck out of square will also cause sharp flanges. Side 
bearings exert an influence on sharp flange wear. If 
the car rests heavily on the side bearings, the truck is 
not able to adjust itself readily to the tracks. Too 
much space between the car body and side bearings 
will cause the car to sway. This is bad on the truck, 
axles, wheels and rails. 

Brake Burn or Burnt Chill — A wheel which is brake 
burnt is distinguished by cracks across the tread of 
the wheel. Sometimes they are only hairlines, but in 
other cases there is a distinct separation of the metal 
1/16 inch or more in width. This is caused by a long 
brake application heating the tread of the wheel. 

Chipped Rims — This occurs from the wheel tread 
being worn hollow, the high part of the rim striking 
on switch frogs or switch points, breaking ofif the rim 
of the wheel. 

The heating of the treads is also responsible for 
cracks occurring in flanges, particularly so if the brake 
shoe crowds against the flange of. the wheel, the flange 
not being large enough to carry away the heat, causing 
unequal expansion. 

Shelled Out — A shelled-out wheel is one where the 
metal of the tread has shelled away from the center, 
leaving it higher than the surrounding spots. Often a 

59 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



burnt chill is reported as a shell-out, but there is a 
decided difference in the cause. 

Cracked Plates — Cracked plates are caused by ex- 
pansion of the wheel tread through heat generated by 
the brake shoe. The heating of the tread produces a 
strain on the wheel at the juncture of the front and 
back plates. 

Brake Slide — A brake slide can do more damage to 
the equipment and the rails than any other wheel de- 
fect. It generally ends the life of the wheel. Worn 
through chill spots have a close resemblance to brake 
slides but are easily distinguished. The brake slide will 
have a flat spot with more or less sharp edges, whereas 
worn through chill will have the edges worn over or 
rounded, leaving no well defined flat spot. 

A common cause for brake slides — and the causes 
are numerous, — is defective brake rigging due largely 
to lack of inspection of the air brakes. 

Wheel Transfer — In changing w^heels at any repair 
point, wheels removed must be shifted before new 
wheels can be applied. Ordinarily this is a big job. 

The accompanying photograph gives an idea of how 
wheel transfers can be made quickly from one track 
to another with but little labor. The device is made 
of two 2x3 inch boards of sufficient length to lay across 
two tracks and extend 6 inches beyond each outside rail. 
These boards are lined top and inside with angle iron 
and they are securely fastened about 8 inches apart. 
At each end there is an iron handle extending upward, 
for carrying the shifter from place to place. 

On these boards is placed a truck having four small 
wheels. When car wheels require changing the trans- 
fer is laid across the rails. Wooden wedges are placed 

60 



THE SMALL REPAIR POINT 



on the rail against the strips, and wheels are rolled 
onto the low-hung cart. Wedges are then removed 
and the cart is pushed to the other track where the 
wheels are run off. The cart is also supplied with 
grab irons at each end for easy removal. 

Applying Draft Bolts — Drafts bolts are those which 
fasten the draft timbers to the center sills. They vary 



^ 


""■^^^"^■^■'-i-liii,,,,,! 


- ^ •9Bfl 


'j^ 


■j^H^^^^^^^^HP^^ ^ • *'*.vj^:.V^:^|j^^^^P^ - 1 '' 


^ : '^ "^^^^ . 





"Wheel Shifter" 

in size from 14, to ly^, in. and in length from 13 in. to 
81 in. Ordinarily the repair man knows the draft bolts 
to be y% by 18 or 19 in. according to depth of sills and 
timbers. 

These are often broken in wooden underframe cars, 
and if loaded the car is sent to the repair or transfer 
track. The load must be shifted if it covers the bolts, 
and the stubs driven out and new bolts applied. As- 
suming that the car is loaded with merchandise, and 
the car has been switched to the dock for shifting the 
load, the boxes that are in the doorway are moved out 
and a pathway cleared through the center of the car 

61 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



down to the end. Center plate bolts should be renewed 
at this time if broken. The load is again replaced and 
the car locked and sealed. 

Transferring Loads — There is no operation in car 
work which recjuires any more thought than that of 
transferring loads and this duty usually falls on the 
Carman, either to personally do the work, or to super- 
vise it. 

Transferring can be greatly reduced by investigation. 
On one railroad a study of the transfers on lumber and 
logs showed that a big percentage of this lading was 
loaded on cars of light capacity so one hand brake could 
not be operated, and so that the weight was improperly 
distributed. Before the car could move from the first 
inspector's station, a rearrangement of the load was 
necessary. 

Again it was found that in order to cut down the 
number of bad order cars at a certain terminal, the B. O. 
tags were removed and the cars permitted to move to 
the loading district in such condition that when loaded 
and returned, they required repairs which necessitated 
transferring the contents. It must be remembered that 
it is better to delay an empty car and put it in a safe 
and serviceable condition rather than to delay a loaded 
car. 

Instructing Shippers on Proper Method of Loading 
Cars — The rules for loading should be placed in the 
hands of each .?.nd every shipper, agent and Carman. 
Tf only one or two transfers can be saved by educating 
(liose concerned on the proper method of loadins: cars, 
they will pay for the circulation of the standard rules 
for lading. 

On one division of a railroad operating in a lumber 

62 



THE SMALL REPAIR POINT 



territory a man was put on the road to instruct the 
loaders as to the proper manner of loading logs, long 
poles, etc., so that the cars could be moved safely and 
be acceptable at all transfers. 

Transferring Long Poles — Long poles are loaded on 
single cars or on two cars with an idler between them. 
With this class of lading the logs or poles may be 
chained together and rails put under the ends. By 




For Transferring Oil 

means of heavy jacks the load is raised and the cars 
can be transferred or changed end for end in such a 
way as to correct the improper loading. 

Lumber in box and stock cars may be transferred by 
})assing the lumber through the ends of the car. 

Where loaded coal cars are bad orders it is some- 
times found cheaper to buy the coal and set it on the 
local coal chute than to pay the cost of transfer, and 
an added expense occurs for the reason that the de- 

63 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



terioration in value through transfer must be paid by 
the railroad company. 

Various methods are used in transferring loads in 
open cars, for instance mechanical hoists of the portable 
or stationary design. 

Transferring Oil — Occasions frequently arise when, 
through defects, oil must be transferred from one oil car 
to another. At most points the methods are so crude 
that the car repair force would rather handle any other 
load than that of oil. 

One railroad makes the exchange in the follcwing 
practical manner. A shed containing a force pump run 
by steam stands beside the transfer track. The de- 
fective car is spotted near the end of the shed and a 
connection is made at pipe fitting "A" shown in view. 
The car to receive the oil is then switched behind the 
first car and the long- horizontal pipe resting on the 
wooden supports over the shed's roof, is swung over and 
connected to the second car. The pump is then started 
and the oil is forced from one car into the other. 

Repairing Broken Side and End Ladders — Many 
wooden cars are being equipped with metal side . and 
end ladders. In repairing these appliances, the United 
States safety appliance laws and specifications governing 
their application must be conformed to, at the same time 
maintaining the standard of the car. 

At small outside points it is impossible to keep on 
hand a stock of metal ladders, and where a metal lad- 
der is raked or cornered and is unsafe, it should be re- 
placed with some grab irons or a wooden ladder and the 
car sent to a larger terminal for proper repairs. The 
standard of safety can be maintained in a wooden lad- 

64 



THE SMALL REPAIR POINT 



der, and if the car is loaded, will pass all interchange 
points if properly carded with a defect card. 

Repairing Running Board — In repairing a running 
board, material standard to the car should be used if 
possible. The use of smaller sizes not only constitutes 
wrong repairs, but it decreases the strength of the 
original structure and should be avoided. All parts 
must be fastened with screws of suitable length and 
size. No dimensions are given in the safety appliance 
specifications as to the size to be used, but it is common 
practice to use 4 inch No. 20 for fastening saddles and 
2 in. No. 14 for securing the running board to the sad- 
dles and blocks. They may be set to within 1 in. of the 
surface with a hammer and the balance of the distance 
with a screw driver or air motor. 

Taking Records of Repairs — In each case of repairs 
a clear record should be taken which will give the fol- 
lowing information : 

Date Month Day Year 

Also car number, initial or name and kind, the end on 
which repairs are made, and whether new or second 
hand material was applied. Do not fail to show all 
information requested in M. C. B. rule No. 8. 



65 



CHAPTER V. 
THE INTERMEDIATE TERMINAL 

Intermediate Terminal and Repair Point Defined — 

An intermediate terminal is one having limited shop 
facilities and located at a point midway between two 
larger terminals which have complete shop equipment. 

Experience is the best teacher. The Carman at the 
small repair point, however, may learn much about re- 
pairs at a larger point through reading. And when he, 
through study of the work, is promoted, he is in posi- 
tion to grasp the lessons of experience much faster than 
he who is uninformed. Even to the Carman who 
knows, reading gives a more thorough foundation and 
leads to the development of new and still better methods. 

Train/ Yard — This b,eing a^ terminal, large yard 
facilities will be required for handling cars and switch- 
ing trains. The force of Carmen in the yard will in- 
clude inspectors, oilers, safety appliance and repairmen 
and air brake inspectors. 

Inspection of Incoming Trains — Some authorities 
question the need of incoming inspection except to 
facilitate movement of cars at a point of interchange. 

Others claim that cars should be thoroughly inspected 
upon arrival at any terminal and again when placed in 
outgoing trains. Certainly the cars cannot be watched 
too closely, but the aim should be to reduce inspection 
costs through proper repairs and the care of journal 
boxes, oiling, and stirring up the packing. If through 
this book, the importance of lifting the packing in each 
box at every terminal, can be emphasized to all Car- 

67 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



men, in such a manner that a campaign will be started 
to prevent hot boxes, the efforts of the author will have 
been well repaid. 

Light Bad Order Tracks — At this terminal there 
should be tracks set aside in each yard, assuming that 
there may be two or more as at a junction point, for 
the repairs to light bad order cars, which do not have 
to go to the repair track or shop ; but which cannot 
be repaired in the train yard. These light bad order 
tracks would be used for cars having the following de- 
fects : Broken journal boxes ; bent or broken grab irons 
or operating levers ; bent, broken or missing brake 
beams on rush cars such as meat, perishable freight, 
grain and merchandise ; bent brake masts and other hand 
and air brake defects ; renewing box bolts and column 
bolts and replacing loads shifted at side doors ; to re- 
lieve as far as possible the repair track proper of this 
light repair work. 

The inspection at this point should be careful and 
thorough, especially if only an incoming inspection is 
given, as cars are often made bad order by a little rough 
handling on the part of the switch crews. With the 
exception of "hump" yards the majority of switchmen 
are careful in the handling of cars. 

It is very important that the hand brakes should be 
tried on all cars placed on shop tracks, to see that they 
are in working condition. This will help to protect the 
car in hump yard switching. 

Too much is being said about the rough usage 
the car receives in switching. The Carman must give 
the car the necessary attention before it is switched or 
he is to blame for much of the damage. 

The yard force will be divided according to the num- 

68 



THE INTERMEDIATE TERMINAL 

ber of cars passing through the yard each day of 24 
hours. Assuming that an average of 120 cars pass 
through these yards each hour of the day, there are 
2,880 cars being handled in and out. There should 
then be two inspectors, four oilers, two safety appli- 
ance inspectors, two safety appliance repairmen, two 
light inspection repairmen and two air brake men on 
the daylight hours on each shift, to handle these cars 
through the train yard ; and with properly located sup- 
ply boxes or material racks they can do so readily. It 
should be remembered that every car that is inspected 
will not need repairs and the inspector should be in- 
structed to properly chalk the important defects for 
repairs in the train yard — and to properly card the light 
or heavy bad order car and mark it for light or heavy 
repair track. 

The illustration shows a form of bad order card in 
use on some roads. On one side of the card a single 
heavy red bar denotes the car as a "light" bad order 
for the repair track and on the opposite side, two bars 
denote the car as a ''heavy" bad order. The nature of 
the defects and the facilities of the repair track would 
denote whether the car should be repaired there or 
sent to the car shops, the inspector to be the judge. 

The methods used in making light inspection repairs 
have been covered in the discussion of repair work at 
other points and the same methods would be used at 
this terminal. 

The Car Oiler — The car oiler plays an important 
part in the affairs of this terminal and his work should 
not consist merely of opening the box covers and pour- 
ing oil into the box and allowing it to run through 
under the journal and out the back of the box; but he 

69 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



should know the causes and cures for hot boxes and 
the proper and efficient use of the oil can. He should 
also have an M. C. B. Standard packing knife and know 
how to use it, why to use it and when to use it. 

Most hot boxes are caused by lack of wick contact 
and if the packing knife is run under the dope on each 
side of the journal at the bottom of the box, and then 



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Light Bad Order Card. 

given a quarter twist to the center, the packing is raised 
and oil channels are cut through the bottom of the 
dope. The car is then good for another one hundred 
miles at least. Time freight must be kept going and 
on every train there are boxes which require attention 
even though they give no symptoms of running hot. 

Not all boxes that are dry need the packing stirred 
up in them. Some roads are stingy in the use of oil. 

They are the ones which are having the most hot 
boxes. Not all boxes that need stirring up, need oil. 
Perhaps the waste has become water-soaked and has lost 
a bit of the former resiliency. Stir up the packing good 
if it appears to have fallen away from the journal but 
leave the oil can alone. Where the waste is extremely 
black and grimy looking, repack the box with clean 

70 



THE INTERMEDIATE TERMINAL 

waste and insure that car against a hot box on that 
journal, at least. A few trips out on the road to repair 
a car that the oiler should have oiled or repacked and 
did not will teach him to give more than a passing 
glance at the journal boxes. Keep a lookout and use 
your influence to get packing which "stays up" to the 
journal instead of packing down. 



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Heavy Bad Order Card. 

Inspection of Safety Appliance — In yards handling 
a small number of cars the repairs to special appliances 
may be delegated to the car inspectors. But in yards 
handling many cars, special men are assigned to do this 
work, to avoid sending cars to the repair track. 

Two men usually work together, one on each side of 
a string of cars ; or three men work together, one on 
either side and one on top. 

Many tracks such as team tracks, freight-house 
tracks, storage tracks, etc., can be flagged for hours 
without delay to yard crews and many repairs made 
that would otherwise go to the repair tracks. 

It is highly essential that a Carman exercise the great- 
est care in proper inspection and maintenance of what 
are known as Safety Appliances, not due to the fact that 

71 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



it is a requirement of the law merely, but from the 
standpoint of safety. Safety appliances cover the fol- 
lowing : Hand brakes and all connections thereto ; 
hand holds, ladders, sill steps, brake steps, running 
boards, and air brake. 

The requirements of the safety appliance laws were 
placed before all whose duties in any way made them 
responsible for their design and maintenance, with a 
view of reducing the causes which lead up to accidents 
as far as possible. Uncoupling levers and automatic 
couplers were required, thereby removing the necessity 
of going between cars to couple cars together; suitable 



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Two Handy Wrenches 

ladders, hand holds, steps, brakes, with suitable attach- 
ments, suggested themselves to the Commission as a 
means of making the duties of railway employes safer, 
and after going into the matter of proper standards with 
the car owners, the Commission finally adopted what 
are known as the United States Safety Appliance 
standards. 

Tools — At this terminal the following tools are 
required: Hammer, 10 in. monkey wrench, ^ and % 
in. wrench, 10 in. pipe wrench, screw driver, flat and 
round nose chisel, and 18 in. pipe wrench. In addition 

73 



THE INTERMEDIATE TERMINAL 



to the above, Carmen should have free access to all 
other tools in the inspector's building. 

Herewith are shown two tools which come in very 
handy at any car repair point. The first is a turn- 
buckle bar which allows a complete turning of the 
buckle by using the tool in different positions. The 
second is a handy truss rod wrench with a slightly 
tapered opening to fit different sized nuts. These no 
doubt are familiar tools around most yards but every 
tool room should be supplied with them. 

Material Necessary — A line of material that is 
carried in the inspector's shanty will suffice for the spe- 
cial appliance men, a list of which was shown in pre- 
ceding chapters. 

Special appliance men, however, should have a small 
hand box to carry with them through the yard, which 
should contain the following: Cotter keys, coupler pin 
lifter clevises and pins, ^ and 3^ in. lag screws, % in. 
and Yz in. bolts, nails, etc. 

Heavier material, and material that is not used fre- 
quently, can be obtained from the car inspector's shanty 
when needed. 

Repairs to be Made by Saftey Appliance Men — 
These men should repair brake wheels, ratchet wheels, 
loose nuts, renew cotter keys, brake shoes and keys, se- 
cure loose running boards, etc. 

Sill Steps and Handholds — As a general rule the 
steps or hand holds only need the nuts tightened. If 
the handholds or sill steps are bent slightly, they can be 
straightened cold by using a bar, without removing them 
from the car. If the step or handholds are fastened by 
rivets, it will be necessary to remove the rivets and 
substitute bolts. 

73 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Brake Staff and Connections — The brake chains 
must be in good condition, secured at the staff with a 
1/2 in. bolt and locking nut. In riveting the end of a 
bolt it is a good practice to hold a sledge or wrench 
against the opposite end of the bolt. 

Ratchet wheels can be removed by removing the brake 
wheel and slipping the ratchet over end of the shaft. 

Running Boards — Running boards should be se- 




Shows test hose equipped with gage, also 3 way connection 
composed of air hose to test both ways from central point in yard. 
A.1SO shows other repair equipment that will be used at this point 
in the train yard. 



curely fastened by screws or bolts. All loose boards 
should be secured with screws, and protruding nails 
should be removed. After the cars have been inspected 
and repaired upon arrival, the train is switched and the 
cars that have been carded for the repair track and shop 

74 



THE INTERMEDIATE TERMINAL 

are set out on a separate track, after which they are 
placed for repairs. 

In some yards the outgoing trains are made up on 
"make up" tracks, these being used only for this pur- 
pose. In other yards the train is made up wherever 
the foreman of the engine decides, and it is up to the 
car inspctors to keep in touch with him and find 
out on what track the first outgoing train is to be made 
up. It will prevent delay to trains if, when the engine 
couples to the train, the hose are all coupled and the in- 
spector ready to go over the train and make the termi- 
nal test. 

A train should be made up, stretched, and the air 
hose coupled as far in advance of the leaving time of 
the train as possible. It is preferable to use air from 
the yard line and hold the pressure up to the maximum 
in the train line until the train line and connections are 
thoroughly gone over and examined for leaks. Unions 
that leak or show any signs of leaking must be tightened. 
If in tightening, the union comes off where the sleeve 
screws on, the pipe and union nut must be loosened and 
the sleeve tightened on the pipe. This usually necessi- 
tates the renewal of the gasket. Clamps or air pipes 
must be tightened, cotter keys in brake pins applied and 
spread, and safety guards secured and in place. 

Air hose must be carefully examined for porousness, 
leaky gaskets in couplings, and loose clamps on air 
hose. Should a leak be found in the air hose or con- 
nections, the angle cock at each side of the leak should 
be closed and repairs made. Do not take chances; 
change the hose or gaskets and avoid trouble on the 
road. 

In renewing a hose gasket, the groove in which it 

75 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



fits should be carefully cleaned out before a new gasket 
is inserted ; and after the repairs are made, the angle 
cocks should be opened very slowly to prevent brakes 
being thrown into emergency. 

Leaks in release valves may sometimes be stopped by 
shaking the release rod. Leakage at the exhaust valve 
in the triple may be stopped by closing the cutout cock 
in the branch pipe, draining the air out of the auxiliary 
reservoir, and then opening the cutout cock quickly. 

After the train line is fully charged the brakes should 
be applied, piston travel adjusted to not less than 6 nor 
more than 8 inches, and brakes released and examined 
to ascertain if all brakes release properly. This test 
should be made with the yard line and repairs made ; and 
when the engine is coupled to the train it will only be 
necessary to charge the trainline and set and release 



DEFECTIVE AIR BRAKE 

THIS CAR CAN BE PLACED BETWEEN AIR BRAKE CARS 

Car No Initials Train No Date 191.... 

DEFECTS 

Brakes to be cut out for the Brakes should not be cut out 

following: for the follov^iTig 

1. Defective Triple 4 Cylinder Packing 

2. Helea^e Val^e «. Brake u ill not Apply 

3. Cross Over Pipe .^' S^**f "'"? ^ %*^7i 

4. Brake will not Release }?' ^^}^l S« r^«^Hf« 

5. Car has Slid Flat Wheels ^^' ^''^^^ ' 'P« ^ ^^^1^..^ 

6. Brake Rigging 12. Piston TravelJ^J |^^'^ 

13. Angle Cocks 

14. Brake Leaks Off 



15 

Card Applied at 

Conductor or Inspector 



INSTRUCTIONS — To indicate the defect draw a line through the 
description. 

Tack Card to Side of Car near release rod. 

76 



THE INTERMEDIATE TERMINAL 



the brakes from the engine, the inspector of course 
going over the train to see that they do set and release 
and that the train is ready to depart. 

Defective Air Brake Card — Cars having defective 
air brakes should be carded with a specially designed 
card, and the detachable portion mailed to the point 
where the repairs are to be made. Since trains are 
permitted^ to operate with less than 100 per cent of the 
air brakes in service, the air brake card, similar to that 
shown, should be used ; anyone can see what is defec- 
tive at a glance, and in the case of a broken train line, 
this car may be switched to the back of the train. 



77 



CHAPTER VI. 
INTERMEDIATE TERMINAL REPAIRS. 

Location — To facilitate the handling of cars to and 
from the repair tracks, these should be located near the 
train yard. In this way direct connection between yard 
and repair track forces are maintained, which is bene- 
ficial to both, as there are often slack times in the train 
yard, while on a repair track the work is never caught 
up. If located close together, the yard force can help 
out on the repair track occasionally. 

There should be three *'light" repair tracks and two 
"heavy" repair tracks. One of the three light tracks 
should be for steel cars and two for wooden cars, and 
one of the two heavy tracks should be for steel cars 
and one for wood. A system or arrangement that is 
properly worked out means a greater output of cars 
from the repair tracks each day. 

The three light tracks should have a capacity of 100 
cars and the two heavy tracks a capacity of 20 cars, 
properly spaced. 

The illustration shows the plan of the repair tracks 
with location of offices, shops, storerooms, etc., which 
compose the Car Department property. 

In the arrangement of the repair and service tracks 
and the location of the various buildings, the aim has 
been to have the work shops and material placed as near 
the central point as convenient in order to facilitate the 
movement of material to the car in need, regardless of 
its location in the repair yard. 

79 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Service Tracks — The system of service tracks 
shown is for the rapid transportation of suppUes and 
material from the stores to the individual car or from 
one point in the yard to another. They are narrow 
gauge and of light rail. The change from one track to 
another is made upon turntables. 

Buildings — The buildings consist of the ofifice, 




a = OFFJCL i-- OIL A WASTE Roon k--BoiuR & Ln&int Roon. p^micHnRn. q- scrrp bi/i5. 

b-SJORL ROOn Q^mEEL SrORR&E TRRCRS I^PRItlJ^HOP T-OXS-flCETYLirfE STORHGE 

C-CRSr/m SHED n-mSH ROOn S LOCKERS m= LUriBER 3HEP5 S^ PR y A/LEfS.!^ R/P TRACKS 

d^TOOL ROOM i-nRCHinE&BLRCK&rilTHdHOP n-/n6PECT0R5 bHPriTY V=3LRUICZ TRPCHS 

e~CRRPE/1T£R &HOP j'JRCK STORPGrL 0=RIR-H05E RECLRnRTIOli yVflPP LEAPS 



This Layout of Repair Tracks and Location of Building's Facil- 
itates Movement of Material from a Central Plant 
to All Parts of the Yard. 



storeroom and casting shed, carpenter shop and wood 
mill, machine and blacksmith shop, paint shop, lumber 
shed and boiler and engine room, etc. 

Number of Men Employed — About 100 men would 
be employed at this point, including office help and 
supervisory forces. Details depend on the organiza- 
tion of the road. 

80 



INTERMEDIATE TERMINAL REPAIRS 

Repairs Made — At this point all manner of repairs 
that are ordinarily made outside the shops may be made, 
with the exception of heavy repairs to steel cars. This 
class of work is generally done at the large car shops 
and under better conditions, with proper equipment. 

Wooden cars may receive a general overhauling dur- 
ing summer months but to attempt to do this work in 
winter is a losing proposition. The men cannot stand 
the cold, blustering weather and the work is hindered 
by falling snow, rain and sleet. For this reason it Is 
better policy to limit the extent of repairs to about 150 
hours labor and confine the operations to partial under- 
frame repairs, and possibly renewing ends or roofs. 

Repairs to steel cars should be limited to straighten- 
ing endsills, corner posts on open ends, repairing hop- 
per doors and such of the safety appliances as become 
defective. 

Light Repair Track Work — Some of the repairs 
which may be made to wooden cars on these tracks are 
as follows : Applying brake beams and connections, 
truck bolsters, arch bars, wheels, sand planks, couplers, 
end sills, draft timbers, sill splices, side doors and roof 
boards ; renewing decayed, broken or missing parts of 
running board ; applying draft bolts, center plate bolts 
and adjusting various kinds of lading in all kinds of 
cars. Repairs to steel or steel underframe and super- 
structure cars may include straightening hopper doors, 
repairing end sills, corner posts, braces, car ends (on 
gondola cars) ; and such truck repairs as are common to 
all types of cars. The work done on these tracks should 
be of such a nature that in case the truck has to be 
removed the balance of the track room will not be 
held up more than one day after repairs are started. 

81 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Heavy Repair Track Work — This work should 
consist mainly of cars requiring the renewal of long sills, 
lining, siding, roofs, end posts, side posts and braces. 
And during the warm months of the year, general re- 
building and application of standard betterments 
is in order. The aim should be to keep repairs down 
close to the limit of 150 hours per car and divide the 
work to suit conditions as found on the car. 

'I'he repairs to brake beams and brake rigging, arch 
bars, wheels, couplers, draft and center plate bolts have 
already been described and we pass on to the other 
repairs. 

Renewing Long Draft Timbers — In renewing one or 
both timbers the coupler and attachments are dropped, 
and as the long timbers extend beyond the body bolster, 
it is necessary to set jacks and take the weight of the 
car to loosen the bottom leaf (if it is a two leaf bolster) 
and allow the timbers- to be removed after the draft 
bolts have been driven out. If it is a system car and 
standard draft timbers are kept in stock, the lug cast- 
ings are removed from the broken timber and bolted to 
the new one and the new timbers applied and bolted in 
place. The coupler is replaced after the car has been 
lowered and the bolster bolted in place. In repairs of 
this kind the application of metal drop arms is recom- 
mended. 

Renewing End Sills^An end sill that is applied to 
the car outside the sheathing or siding is known as an 
"outside" end sill, and one that is covered by the siding 
as an "inside" end sill. 

Modern practice in removing inside box-car end sills 
is to remove both corner irons, then with a nail set, drive 
the nails straight through the siding into the end sill, re- 

82 



INTERMEDIATE TERMINAL REPAIRS 

move any appliances that may interfere with the re- 
moval of the sill, remove the truss-rod nuts, pry out the 
end sill and let it slide from under the siding. By care- 
ful handling in this manner the siding on the end of the 
box car may be saved. This work may be done on 
loaded cars if the load consists of bulk stuff easily 
shifted. If the car is loaded with bulk grain, sand, lime, 
coal or loose merchandise of any sort the lading must 
be transferred before repairing. 

The outside end sill is applied more quickly as it is 
only necessary to loosen the truss rod nuts, remove the 
coupler, and such other appliances as interfere with the 
operation, and pry the sill from the truss rods, and then 
replace with a good one ; after which the coupler and 
other appliances may be replaced. 

In both cases, jacks should be set under the needle 
beams or cross tie timbers nearest the end being re- 
paired, to hold the car from sagging and breaking the 
sills, if the car is loaded. 

Renev^^ing End Plates — Where only the end plate is 
to be renewed, the job can be done by removing the plate 
corner irons and a portion of the roof, slacking off the 
nuts on the tie rods, driving the nails through the siding 
(using a nail set) into the end plate and prying the 
sides apart until the end plate can be lifted out. 

Adjusting Height of Couplers — The height of a 
coupler is measured from the center line of the coupler 
shank to top of rail; and on empty cars must not be 
less than 32^ nor more than 343^ ins. ■ Empty cars 
should be adjusted to 34^ ins. The adjustment on 
loaded cars should not be less than 31^ nor more than 
333^ in. The coupler can be raised by tightening up 
the carrier iron or by putting a shoe between the carrier 

83 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



iron and the shank of the coupler; or by placing a shim 
between the spring and the truck bolster. The M. C. B. 
rules allow the use of metal shims between arch bar 
and oil box, if the former methods do not suffice. In 
putting shims in trucks, a good grain lumber should be 
used and the shims made as large as possible. Thin 
shims, used in several layers, work out and make a bad 
job. 

Special attention should be given to the gauging of 
couplers when cars are on shop tracks, to insure that 
they have a contour meeting the requirements of M. C. 
B. rules. 

Patching Coal Car Siding — Often a car will come in 
with bursted sides. Renewal can be made by cutting the 
boards long enough to extend between three posts. If 
the side stakes are metal, having two rows of bolts, the 
joint can be made so that the ends can be butted up 
against each other. With wooden stakes having a single 
row of bolts, the joint should be made on an angle so 
that a bolt may be placed through each splice of each 
board. 

Truck Bolsters — A rigid wooden or metal bolster is 
removed by first disconnecting brake rods as necessary, 
raising the end of the car, moving the truck forward 
until a trestle can be placed, lowering the car until the 
trestles carry a portion of the weight, and then remov- 
ing the truck. After putting a block in front of each 
wheel, both top arch bars may be removed, after which 
the bolster is removed by sliding it forward over the 
top of either pair of wheels. 

The center plate, side bearings and column guides may 
now be removed from the old bolster and replaced on 

84 



INTERMEDIATE TERMINAL REPAIRS 

the new one. If a metal bolster is used, the same 
method of removing and replacing nnist be followed; 
but if the side bearings, center plates and column guides 
are cast solid, a part of the operation is eliminated. 

After replacing the truck, the clearance between side 
bearings must be measured and adjusted to not more 
than y^ in., brake rods connected, cotter keys spread — 
(when bolt is used as a key bolt the locking nut must 
be tightened) and height of coupler measured. 

Swing Beam Bolsters — Wood or metal swing-beam 
bolsters are removed by the same method as described 
with rigid bolsters, except that the arch bars are not 
removed. After the truck is out from under the car 
the bolster is removed by placing a bar under one end 
of the bolster and over arch bar or side of truck, and 
raising the bolster until a bar or board can be laid across 
under the truck sides, raising both ends above the level 
of the truck sides, then sliding the bolster over the wheel 
or side of the truck. 

Body Bolsters — Metal is fast taking the place of 
wood in body bolsters, but wooden or metal, the method 
of repairs is similar. The brake rods must be discon- 
nected, the car raised until the center plates clear, the 
truck moved forward until it clears the bolster. The 
car is then blocked betw^een the truck and sills and 
enough weight left on the truck to "steady the 
car." All conditions being favorable, with a metal 
body bolster the nuts can now^ be removed from the 
bolts, the car raised and with the body bolster resting 
on the truck the truck can be run forward, the old bol- 
ster removed, a new one applied and the truck returned 
to its position. A set rule cannot be adhered to for 
each operation in repairing cars. New men, new meth- 

85 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



ods, and new construction make constant changes neces- 
sary, and only general rules are possible, leaving the 
details to be met as found. 

Needle Beams or Cross Timbers — Needle beams or 
cross ties are removed by disconnecting the truss rods 
at the turnbuckles or loosening the nuts or turnbuckles 
sufficiently to give the slack necessary to remove the 
queen posts. Floor washers must be used on bolts in 
needle beams, body bolsters, brake blocks, sub sills and 
draft timbers to prevent the heads of the bolts being 
drawn into the sills and to facilitate removal when mak- 
ing repairs. 

Splicing Car Sills — The M. C. B. rules cover the 
design of the splice, the location of the splice on the 
sill and th^ number of adjacent sills that can be spliced. 
If the sill and location of the splice will permit splicing 
without removing the truck, it is not necessary to raise 
the car body. When necessary to remove the body bol- 
ster, proceed as follows: Set a jack under each side of 
car near body bolster, aisconnect brake rods that inter- 
fere, raise the end of car until center plates clear, and 
set trestles under each side of car and lower it until 
the trestles hold a portion of the weight of the car. 

In splicing the center sills where the end sill is re- 
newed at same time, remove the coupler, dead- 
wood and draft timbers, then with a nail set drive the 
nails through end siding into the end sills and pry the 
end sill out until the tenons on the sills will permit it 
to drop down. Now run the car truck out and remove 
the body bolster. After locating the point where splice is 
to be made, saw the sill through, pry it loose from the 
decking, drive the nails up through the decking, fit the 

' 86 



INTERMEDiIATE TERMINAL REPAIRS 

splice and bolt it in position. The end sill may now be 
applied. 

In splicing sills on cars having outside end sills 
it is not necessary to remove the end sill to renew or 
make new splices to center sills. It is necessary, how- 
ever, to loosen one end sill to apply full length longi- 
tudinal sills. Splices should be made so that they could 
be removed if necessary to renew them under load. 

The variation in construction makes it impossible to 
always follow a set method. Different Carmen use dif- 
ferent methods for accomplishing the same results; and 
as long* as the repairs are made in a reasonable time 
and in a workmanlike manner it is good practice to 
permit the man to use his own methods. 

Grain Leaks — Investigation shows that a great deal 
of grain leakage occurs between the car sheathing and 
side sills, due to the tendency of the sheathing to work 
away from the sills under load. Nails do not seem to 
stop this trouble. 

One remedy has been the application of sheathing 
straps made of ^ in. by II/2 ii^- A^-t iron to the sides 
of box cars. These straps are fastened by bolts through 
the side sills together with rods which extend through 
both side and intermediate sills. 

Some grain losses occur from warped flooring due to 
the fact that nails are used. The only remedy for this 
is to bolt the flooring to the side sills, and it is recom- 
mended that the sarne kind of side straps be used here 
as is applied to the sheathing. These are to be applied 
just inside the post line and bolted to the sills. 

Renewing Corner Posts — Corner posts with tenons 
that fit up into the end plate and sills make necessary 
the removal of about one foot of siding when- renewing 

87 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



the end post. The roof must be jacked up until the 
tenon will clear ; then the post may be removed. Corner 
posts which form a part of the siding and are bolted at 
the top and the bottom are much easier to remove. 
Other types have a pocket casting at the top and bottom 
and do not require mortices in the sills and plates. 

Renewing or Splicing Side Sills — Side sills may be 
renewed or spliced by first setting the nails in the siding, 
then loosening the down rods, removing the bolts, jack- 
ing the posts, etc. off the sill, after which the sill may 
be repaired or replaced. 

Renewing Ridge Pole — To renew a ridge pole, first 
remove the roof of the car and both end fascias, then 
take out the ridge pole, take down ridge pole bolts and 
replace it. A car going to the shop for general repairs 
can be made safe to move by blocking between the roof 
and floor, and fastening the bracing and blocking firmly. 

Steel Cars — Repairs to steel cars will be briefly 
touched on in a chapter that follows. Light repairs, such 
as straightening draft arms, end plates, etc. can be made 
at a medium sized terminal, and as Carmen become 
familiar with steel work it will be handled as easily as 
repairs to wooden cars are now handled. Various types 
of cars make various methods of doing the work neces- 
sary. Rivet-heating forges, track chisels, chisel bars, 
etc. should be maintained at all repair points. 

There is additional opportunity for the Carman to 
resort to ingenious methods in steel car work to avoid 
tearing down so many parts of the car to straighten a 
sill, draft arms, etc. A portable torch or a basket filled 
with charcoal, or a bricked up furnace can be used to 
heat the spot where the sill is bent. After it is heated 

8.8 



INTERMEDIATE TERMINAL REPAIRS 

it may be drawn in place by means of rods or jacked in 
place by a jack. 

Steel Draft Timbers — Side stakes, bracing end 
plates, etc. can be cut loose from tbe car, straightened 
and re-rivetcd in position. At outside points without 
the material or facilities, permanent repairs to steel cars 
cannot be made. A car can be emptied, a set of temp- 
orary draft timbers applied and the car moved to a point 
where repairs can be made. 

Cars having weak draft sills or draft sills bent out of 
line can be temporarily repaired by jacking into position, 
putting false bracing on the inside to hold it in line, and 
the car may then be moved to a heavy repair point. 



89 



CHAPTER VII. 

FREIGHT CAR SHOP REPAIRS. 

In this chapter a general outHne of the work done will 
be given, as methods of doing routine work have been 
covered in the foregoing chapters. The idea is to give a 




The Car Shop and Repair Tracks. 

description of methods employed in making the heavy 
repairs, and rebuilding and reinforcing of cars in gen- 
eral at the largest terminals and shops. 

Two lasting impressions are gained upon visiting a 
large repair track and car shop. A greater part of the 
actual repair work is rebuilding and applying reinforce- 
ments, such as steel underframes or center sill channels, 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



where such work would be greatly hindered by weather 
conditions. The first impression gained is the immensity 
of the car repair problem and the second is the sense of 
efficient organization of the forces making the repairs. 
The intricacy of the organization is more readily recog- 
nized when a car with a steel superstructure is under- 
going repairs. The w^ood and steel car workers follow 
each other, each gang stripping and tearing down and 
repairing or rebuilding various parts as the process 
demands. 

In this class of work each Carman follows one 
branch of the repairs on all cars, and becomes a special- 
ist. He does not, however, become as familiar with the 
various other branches as he would were he required to 
work on all parts of the car. 

Efficiency can be acquired only by doing things well, 
and this policy restricts the Carman in the large shop 
organization ; for in laboring to become proficient in one 
branch, he often loses sight of the main points in other 
branches, and it is only by a continual study and a 
so-called sense of ''keeping one eye on your own work 
and the other on the other fellow's" that the Carman is 
enabled to enlarge his vision and keep pace with the 
modern methods of repairs to equipment in all its 
branches. 

The Repair Tracks — The number of repair tracks 
vary and it is the capacity rather than number of tracks 
which must be considered in the layout. It is safe to say 
that 300 or 400 cars are found on the shop tracks and in 
the shop at a terminal of the size we are considering. 
The output from these tracks will average about 100 cars 
per week, or about one-third of the track capacity. 

92 



FREIGHT CAR SHOP REPAIRS 

This is a fair average estimate, when the fact is con- 
sidered that there are some cars that require more than 
180 hours to repair. Wrecked steel and steel under frame 
and superstructure cars may be placed in this class. 




Air Jack for Lifting- Cars. 



Quite often it is necessary to cut these cars apart with 
the cutting torch, in order to straighten and splice bent 
and broken parts. 

The Shop and Equipment — The shop is in most 
cases a well lighted brick or composite structure of suf- 
ficient size to accommodate about fifty cars, and is 

93 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



equipped with a great many appliances which the smaller 
points do not have. All the cars are raised from the 
trucks by means of pneumatic jacks, and these are 
mounted on a small two-wheeled truck and can be moved 
about from one car to another easily. One gang does 
nothing else but raise and lower cars. Various heating 
torches, oxy-acetylene welding outfits, pneumatic presses 
and oil furnaces for heating and straightening of steel 
parts, comprise the principal tools used in the work of 
making the actual repairs. 

The wood shop or mill, blacksmith shop, wheel shop 
and reclaiming shop are all parts of the main shop organ- 




Service Track Turntable 



ization, placed separately to avoid confusion, and to 
promote efficiency in the different operations. 

Service tracks, either of the narrow gauge or broad 
gauge type located between the repair tracks are valu- 
able additions for facilitating repairs in a large yard. 

94 



FREIGHT CAR SHOP REPAIRS 

Whenever possible the standard gauge is recommended 
with turntables as are shown. 

Some shops use a low-hung lorry having tracks placed 
across it. When this is used on a cross track it takes 
the place of turntables. 




Lorry for Handling Service Carts 

Stock and Method of Handling — Where the general 
store is located some distance away from the rip-track, 
considerable time is lost by Carmen or supply men 
going for material, especially when only small amounts 
of special material are drawn. 

A rip track should have its own store built near the 
repair yard, and men should be placed in charge to 
keep the material in proper shape and insure correct 
distribution of charges. If possible, service tracks 
should run adjacent to the store, or, better still, into 

95 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



the building where material may be loaded at one oper- 
ation. 

At some supposedly up to date car repair yards, 
material is still being loaded and unloaded to and from 




One End of a Rip Track Store 

cars by means of manual labor. This is a slow, ex- 
pensive method. Where compressed air is available 
air hoists should be used to do the work. 

In the accompanying two views are shown different 
types of cranes for the operation. One is of the single 
post type which will turn in a complete circle, and al- 
lows considerable horizontal movement for the hoist 
to travel in. - ; 

The other consists of a structure extended over sev- 
eral tracks and supported on four legs. The crane last 
mentioned is a more expensive installation than the 
first but has a much higher capacity. 

96 



FREIGHT CAR SHOP REPAIRS 



Single Post Air Hoist 




Loading and Unloading Air Hoist 
97 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Reclaiming Material — Considerable thought should 
be given to each and every defective part being re- 
claimed. Rigid records only will produce figures which 
show whether reclaiming can be done at a saving or at 
a loss. Real savings in this line are usually impos- 
sible without a highly specialized organization work- 
ing on large quantities of material. 




Reclaiming Nuts 



Bolts and nuts are things which can be reclaimed 
and they find their way to the scrap pile sooner than 
any other material because the nuts drop off. A bolt 
cutter and nut tapper will save much of this material. 
Shears should also be installed for cutting off bolts 
the right length, and hammers operated by belt, steam 
or air may be used to straighten bent bolts. 

Scaffolds for the Carman— A trestle or scaffold 
§hQuld be proyide4 in the yard foi" supporting planks 



FREIGHT CAR SHOP REPAIRS 



for Carmen to stand on when they are performing oper- 
ations which cannot be handled from the ground. 

Such scaffolds shou4d be built strong, but as light as 
possible, and should be located at points in the yard 
where they are easily reached when needed. 




Reclaiming Bolts 

The provision of home made devices of this sort is 
a great aid to the Carman in performing his work. 

Scaffolding or trestles, however, should not be care--, 
lessly or imperfectly made, nor should they be care-, 
lessly placed, as accidents are likely to result from such 
carelessness. 

The photograph shows a trestle at the end of a car, — 
top platform not shown. At the left hand side there • 
is shown a plank scaffolding which rests on trestles and 

99 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



which is used by the Carman for work on the side of 
the car. 

Note the substantial construction of the trestle at the 
end of the car, and the fact that it sets level and solidly 
so that there is no tipping when the Carman is standing 
on top of it. 



IN 


1 . ■ 


Wl' 

f 


^]:IS 






if ...u. 





Scaffolds for Repair Work 

The Repairs — In the general overhauling of a 
wooden box car carded for heavy repairs, new longi- 
tudinal sills will usually be required, perhaps not all 
new; also it will usually need new end sills, draft tim- 
bers, deadwood, end posts, corner posts, sheeting, lining, 
siding, end plates, carlines, new roof, side and end 
braces, decking, repairs or renewal of doors and com- 
plete overhauling of trucks. 

100 



FREIGHT CAR SHDP REPAIRS 

The car is first raised from its trucks by the jacking 
gang, and placed on horses. Then follows the stripping 
gang, which proceeds to tear the car down. Couplers 
and attachments are removed and draft timbers and 




Double Lorry Track at the End of tlie Car Repair Tracks. 

bolsters taken down, after which the lining, siding, fascia, 
and roof are stripped from the car body. This leaves the 
superstructure bare for further inspection and decision 
as to the number of posts and braces to be renewed. 



101 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



If any number of longitudinal sills (less than the com- 
plete underframe of eight sills), are to be renewed, with- 
out tearing down the superstructure, repairs should be 
made with the use of metal draft arms. 

The end sills are left in place and assuming that two 
center sills and three intermediate sills are to be 
renewed, they are cut at the body bolster and dropped 
down at this point to disengage the tenons from the end 
sills, after which they may be removed from the car. By 
leaving the end sills attached to the other sills, a portion 
of the weight from the superstructure is distributed to 
each sill, and the remaining sills are braced laterally and 
at the same time held in position. New sills are cut and 
framed, including boring in the mill room ; and are 
brought to the car to be replaced as soon as the strippers 
have finished their work. A "clean up'' gang of laborers 
follows the strippers, removing the scrap lumber and 
timbers to the wood mill and boiler room, for reclama- 
tion of such parts as can be utilized and for use as fuel 

The carpenters now take the car and the work of 
reconstruction starts. The longitudinal sills are put in 
place and the cross ties are bolted on. The body bolster 
is next replaced and there is now sufficient firmness to 
the sills to permit the end sills to be removed and new- 
ones substituted if necessary. Side posts and braces are 
renewed, also end posts and end plates, and braces, 
sheathing and siding applied. 

Draft timbers and couplers follow in turn, and deck- 
ing is laid after the new roof has been applied. The 
inside lining is then put on and the balance of the repair? 
to doors, door track, etc., together with the application of 
the safety appliances, is carried to completion quite 
rapidly. In some shops, the carpenters overhaul the 

102 



FREIGHT CAR SHOP REPAIRS 

trucks and in others a gang goes from one car to another 
repairing only that portion of the car. 

The air brake gang replaces the cylinder, reservoir, 




A Largre Repair Track Near Chicago. 

train line pipes and clamps, and the painting gang soon 
transforms the outward appearance after which it is 
allowed to dry 12 hours before stenciling. 

103 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Bulged Gondolas — It is a common sight to see 
wooden gondola cars, under load, with sides bulging. 
There are several causes for excessive bulging. In 
many cases, the construction is such that the torsional 
strength of the side sills is all that keeps the sides from 
spreading. If the underframe sags under the load, the 
distortion has a tendency to force the posts out. Dur- 
ing recent years the increased difficulty of obtaining sid- 
ing to extend the full length of the car has led to the 
use of short pieces, which further weakens the side. 

Of the methods used to overcome spreading of the 
car sides, the most common is the use of tie rods 
fastened to the tops of opposite posts. While this is 
an effective means of overcoming the trouble it should 
only be used as a temporary expedient, as the rods make 
the loading and unloading of long material very diffi- 
cult. It is doubtful whether the bulging of sides can 
be entirely overcome on cars with weak underframes. 
Probably the most effective reinforcing for the sides, 
on the majority of wooden cars, is secured by adding 
diagonal tie straps to make the side act as a truss, and 
by placing gusset sheets transversely in the center of 
the car, to give lateral stiffness. 

Reinforcing Car Ends and Underframes — While no 
reliable statistics on the subject are available, it is con- 
ceded by railroad operating and mechanical officials that 
the weakest part of box car bodies is at the ends, and 
that such weakness in construction has been the cause 
of enormous claims for loss and damage. 

The outside sheathing becomes loose, particularly at 
the end sills after a few years service, and the thin lining 
is soon broken by shifting loads ; over thirty per cent of 
the total loss of grain in transit, is due to these defective 

104 



FREIGHT CAR SHOP REPAIRS 

ends. Such inadequate strength also entails the expen- 
diture of large amounts every year by all railroads for 
repairs. In many cases one end will be reconstructed 
several times during the life time of the car, because the 
original design and construction is being continued. 

Old box car ends should be reinforced by the addition 
of outside metal end posts, or by metal reinforcements 
for the wooden end posts. These should be firmly at- 
tached top and bottom, braced if necessary. Then, 
if the end sheathing does not have to be renewed, 
the application of a tight and thicker inside end lining 




Handling Wheels and Couplers About the Shop and Repair Track 

is Laborious Work at the Best. Such Tools as These 

Help to Make it Easier. 



will give the car end the required strength and tight- 
ness at a minimum expense. 

On some types of reinforcement it is not necessary 
to remove the old broken end posts. If sheathing is good, 

105 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



k 






f 



« /I " T 



/I" 



O <^ 



if 



m 

7 
i 



— O— O ■^ 




Draft Lug 



jack the posts back to posi- 
tion, and apply the reinforce- 
ments and the inside lining. 
This, of course, refers to 
ends not completely shoved 
out or pushed in. 

Some such reinforcement 
is the only means for length- 
ening the life of the end of 
the car. Other parts of the 
car have an indirect effect 
upon the life of the end. 

Special Draft Rigging Re- 
pair — A sketch is shown of a 
lug used on repairs to Her- 
cules draft rigging. The di- 
mensions in this sketch ap- 
ply to a lug as used for a 
steel under frame of a Hart 
Convertible Ballast Car. The 
back of the lug butts against 
the angle iron at the body 
bolster. The length can be 
adjusted to suit various 
styles of draft arms, and it 
is claimed that draft rig- 
gings, so reinforced, stand 
up better than the original 
rigging. 

Steel Underframes and 
Center Channels — For reve- 
nue service the wooden un- 
derframe car is now admit- 

106 



I^REIGHT CAR SHOP REPAIRS 

ted to be too weak in construction to withstand the 
buffing shocks to which it is subjected in heavy trains 
of cars of higher capacity and greater weight. 




Service Tracks Provide Efficient Means for Handling Material in 

the Shop SLud, on Repair Tracks. A System of Switches 

and Crossovers is in Use at this Point. 



There are, however, a great many of these cars of 

107 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



sufficient capacity to warrant the application of rein- 
forcements. Such reinforcements include steel draft 
arms or center channels and a partial underframe in- 
cluding metal body bolsters. 

The second paragraph of section (h) and section (i) 
of M. C. B. Rule 3, are self explanatory for these 
measures and are quoted below as follows : 

Section (h) "After October 1, 1918, when cars 
equipped with short draft arms, receive general repairs, 
long metal draft arms extending beyond the body bolster, 
steel draft members extending full length of car, steel 
center sills or steel underframes, must be applied." 

Section (i) ''After October 1, 1920, no car with 
trucks of less than 60,000 lbs. capacity will be accepted 
in interchange unless equipped with wooden or metal 
draft arms extending beyond the body bolster, or metal 
draft arms integral w^ith body bolster, or metal draft 
arms extending to metal body bolster and securely riveted 
to same." 

As these repairs are made when the car is given 
general overhauling, there is little need of a detailed 
description of the methods of application. 

Instead of applying the two wooden center sills and 
the separate bolsters, combined steel center sills and bol- 
sters may be applied, the ends either being flanged and 
bolted to the center sills or extended to the end of car, 
terminating in the striking plate or head block. In case 
they are thus extended, an angle is bolted or riveted to 
the side, to which the end sill is secured by bolts. 

In applying these center channels, it has been proved 
that they should be cover-plated to avoid bending in 
absorbing buffing shocks. Not only are the channels 

108 



FREIGHT CAR SHOP REPAIRS 

often bent sufficiently to require removal for repairs, 
but the entire wooden underframe is sometimes broken 
and must be renewed. 

It has been said that "The Car Department cannot 
make money for the railroad company, but it can and 
should, by proper methods. Save Money." There is 
much truth in that statement and every Carman should 
feel that his work is a saving to the company employ- 
ing him. 



109 



CHAPTER VIII. 
STEEL CAR REPAIRS. 

A Separate Craft — Repairing or building steel cars 
is a trade in itself. The tools and metals used border 
on that of boiler making and shipbuilding, but the work 
is not classed under either head and is considered a 
craft separate and distinct. A ffirst-class steel car 
repairer is one who is familiar with the general con- 
struction of steel cars, and understands the handling of 
the metals under all conditions. He is also familiar 
with all kinds of pneumatic tools, and heating facilities 
which are employed in making the repairs. 

Classification of Steel Car Repairs — In repairs to 
steel cars the work may be classified under three head- 
ings, viz. : 1st — Light Repairs at Small Repair Tracks, 
2nd — Heavy Repairs at Intermediate Repair Points and 
Shops, 3rd — Rebuild Work — where the major portion 
of the car is renewed or repaired, either on account of 
damage, worn out condition, weak construction, or a 
combination of these causes. 

Light Repairs Defined — The following are some of 
the items which come under the heading of Light 
Repairs : — • 

1. Renewing side bearings and center plate's, repair- 
ing safety appliances, straightening solid and reinforced 
ends on box and lowside gondola cars ; and straightening 
corner and end posts, and corner and end braces on 
hopper cars. 

For this class of work the only special equipment 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



necessary is a blow torch or heater, for heating parts of 
the car which can be straightened without removing. 
These heaters are operated by compressed air and bum 
fuel oil. 

Heavy Repairs Defined — Heavy repairs include bent 
sills, or body sprung out of shape, bent or buckled plates, 
sheets in sides or ends rusted out, bent or broken end, 
corner and side braces, etc. 

This class of work is nearly always confined to large 

repair yards and shops, as a large stock of material 

must be carried in addition to the tools and appliances 
to work with. 




Autogenous Welding of Bolsters 

Autogenous welding has made it possible to save 
some material which was formerly sent to the scrap 
pile. Knuckles, couplers, bolsters, steel trucks and 

112 



STEEL CAR REPAIRS 



many things made of metal may be welded and re- 
enforced by this process. It also serves a valuable pur- 
pose in steel or wrought iron cutting. It is especially 
adaptable for use in steel car repairs where various 
parts must be cut apart and other parts, with certain 
dimensions, applied in their place. In w^ork of this 
kind, the amount of labor and time saved by autogenous 
welding proves astonishing in some cases. But the 
amount which may be lost by ill-advised reclaiming is 




Pneumatic Press for Steel V^ork 

also astonishing. Careful judgment should therefore be 
exercised. 

Steel repair yards should be provided with large 
punch and shear machines with sufficient gap for the 
largest steel plates used. Forms and presses must be 
installed for bending and straightening cold material or 

113 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



parts heated in the furnace. Home made pneumatically 
operated presses, built over face plates, can be used 
for straightening channel irons and all steel structural 
parts commonly used on a car. 

Classification — Car repairs made by the steel car 
men is divided intO' "Hot" and "Cold" straightening 
(where only straightening is done). Thermit, electric 
and acetylene welding are used on various jobs re- 
quiring^ heating, such as cracked and broken parts, 
particularly truck sides of the Bettendorf cast steel type, 
and cast steel body and truck bolsters. 

Classification — Cars repaired by the steel car force 
include : 

1. Steel center channels including body bolsters and 
end sills. 

2. Steel underframe, including bolsters, end sills, 
side sills and diagonal braces. 

3. Steel underframe complete with reinforced end 
superstructure. 

4. Steel underframe, with steel superstructure in- 
cluding side braces, side and door posts and reinforced 
carlines. 

5. The all steel car including general service, ballast 
and tank. 

The general run of repairs to these cars is similar to 
those made to wooden cars. These include change of 
wheels, couplers, brake beams and rigging, center 
plates, side bearings, draft and truck springs, hand 
holds, operating levers, castings, sill steps, running 
board, side doors, etc., for it must be remembered that 
the steel underframe or superstructure does not wear 

114 



STEEL CAR REPAIRS 



out as quickly as wooden ones and unless dam- 
aged by fire, derailment or wreck, very few repairs are 
made to the steel parts of the underframe or super- 
structure. 

A large percentage of the steel work done today i'^ 
either reinforcing, by applying steel underframe and 
cast steel draft arms in lieu of the wooden sills on 




Til is Heating Torch is Used to Heat Parts of Steel Cars Preparatory 
to Straightening. Fuel Oil -s Used. 

wooden cars; or repairing or renewing parts of steel 
cars damaged by cornering, pushing in, or derailments, 
or decayed account of rust. 

The Old Man — Many home made devices are used 
in steel car repairs. The ''old man" shown helps solve 
one of the Carman's problems when drilling holes in 
the wings of the dump door hanger castings on Na- 
tional Dump Cars. After the old castings are cut off 
and the two rivets through the flange of the center sills 

115 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



are removed, the new castings are bolted up so that the 
wings fit securely against the flange of the center sills. 
The jaw on the lower part of the "old man" will now 
be forced on the castings and sill flange between the 
hanger eyes. This will hold the device securely and the 



i6!:^.-. 




/8' 



U'"- 




U''6'^ 



"Old Man" for Holdin,? Air Motor to Drill Holes in Wings of 
Dump Door Hanger Castings 

motor may be placed in position to drill through old 
holes in the sill plate and flange, and through the wings 
of the new castings. 

Rivet Guns — Guns for cutting or driving out bolts or 
rivets can be used to a great advantage on steel car 
repair work, especially in places where a good blow 
cannot be struck with a sledge. The rivet cutting gun 
shown also has a long extension cutter which makes it 

116 



STEEL C\R REPAIRS 



possible to reach rivets in the sides of cars without 
scaffolding. 




Rivet Cutting Gun 



Tank Cars — Tank cars come under two General 
Classifications as follows: (1) With separated under- 
frame center sills; and (2) without separated under- 
frame center sills. In the last named the tank shell is 
thickened up to take the buffing stresses. 

It is of supreme importance to know that all rivets 
and seams are tight as the danger to life and limb 

117 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



from tank car disasters and failures have been un- 
pleasantly frequent in the past few years. 

Tank fittings such as safety valves, discharge valves, 
and methods for operating discharge valves and steam 
heating systems, are all of great importance, and, at 
the present time, are receiving careful study with an 
eye toward revisions of the A. R. A. tank car require- 
ments where necessary. These are all very important 
subjects, and while existing standards are good, they 
are not deemed good enough to let alone. 

In gauging tank cars three different systems are fol- 
lowed : 

1. That procedure followed by the Western Weigh- 
ing and Inspection Bureau located at Chicago, wherein 
their representatives actually measure the internal 
dimensions of the tanks and compute therefrom the 
capacity of each individual tank. 

2. Gauging of the tanks by means of accurately built 
and tested master tanks which are of different sizes. 
These are pumped full of water, the water then trans- 
ferred to the completed tank and thus the capacity ac- 
curately determined. This method is followed by the 
Union Tank Car Company. 

3. Gauging by means of an accurately determined 
water meter. 

The latter method has not always been satisfactory 
for the reason that water meters have not been manu- 
factured as yet, having an accuracy above 1 per cent, 
which amounts to considerable in a large tank. 

Retest by the A. R. A. tank car rules is governed in 
detail by the A. R. A. or old M. C. B. tank car regula- 

118 



STEEL CAR REPAIRS 



tions, and is accurately followed. 

Tank-car repairs are similar in character to other 
steel freight car repairs but with this important excep- 
tion, — that in tank work the repairs must be more care- 
fully made, and seams, joints and rivets must all be 
caulked. In general, closer, careful inspection and bet- 
ter workmanship is demanded.* 

To describe in detail the methods used for repairing 
steel cars and to give each type of car the proper con- 
sideration in one chapter, is impossible. 

The subject of repairs to and maintenance of steel 
cars, is more than big enough to warrant a book on 
this subject alone. 



*Those especially interested in Tank Cars might read with profit 
a book entitled "All About Tank Cars," which can be obtained by 
writing- the Railway Educatioal Press, Chicago. 



119 



CHAPTER IX. 
AIR BRAKE REPAIRS. 

The air brake work on freight cars is generally 
divided into three classes: (1) inspection, (2) out- 
side repair work, (3) inside repair work. 

The air brakes on a car consist of the apparatus 
proper and the brake rigging. Included under the first 
heading are the triple valve, auxiliary reservoir, brake- 
cylinder, release valve, retainer valve, angle cock, cut- 
out cock, brake pipe, cross-over pipe, strainer, pipe fit- 
tings and clamps. 

Under the second heading are the brake beams, brake 
shoes, and keys, brake hangers and pins, brake levers 
(live and dead) cylinder levers, intermediate levers, 
top and bottom rods, push rods and connecting rods. 

Outside Work — The outside force as a rule handles 
the pipe and the brake rigging work. They also re- 
move and apply the various parts of the air brake ap- 
paratus, and make the tests before removal and after 
applying. 

Inside Work — The inside force generally repairs and 
tests the retainers, release valves, angle and cut-out 
cocks, and triple valves. In fact, they make the re- 
pairs on the parts which have been removed and brought 
in for attention. 

The Triple Valve — Without a doubt, the most com- 
plicated air brake part which the inside repair man 
comes in contact wtih is the triple valve, so called from 

121 



THE CARMAN'S HELPEk 



its three functions of (1) applying the brakes, (2) 
releasing the brakes and (3) charging the auxihary 
reservoirs. 

The condition of a triple valve is ascertained from 
tests made on an M. C. B. triple valve test rack. Serv- 
ice sensitiveness, friction release, service port capacity 
tests, packing ring tests, graduating, slide valve, check 
valve, emergency valve, and gasket tests are demanded, 
with extra tests for the retarding devices which the 
modern triples are equipped with. 

Space will not permit the M. C. B. code of tests to 
be given in this book but some timely hints for the air 
man are given herewith. 

All triple cleaning should be done in the air room. 
A repaired triple can take its place. All parts should 
be thoroughly cleaned with gasoline and then blown 
off with compressed air. The ports should receive spe- 
cial attention as the jarring of a triple in its trip 
from the air room shakes the accumulations of dirt 
loose, and in many cases a cleaned triple, due to the 
dirt, resembles one which has been in service for months. 

All rubber gaskets and seats should be kept free from 
gasoline or kerosene in the process of cleaning air 
brake parts. 

The packing ring in the triple piston is of more nii- 
portance than any other part of the triple. Its require- 
ments demand that it be made as air tight as possible, 
without excessive friction against its bushing in any 
position the piston may assume. 

If the ring is tight in the groove It should be loosened 
by means of gasoline without being removed. Remov- 
ing a ring distorts it. If the old ring is to be used agam 

122 



AIR BRAKE REPAIRS 



it should be turned tO' the position it first occupied in 
the groove. If the ring is too ti^ht for the groove, a 
lapping plate with a blocked pin should be used and the 
ring brought down to size on a facing plate. Float 
emery and kerosene should be employed. 

Old rings may be removed by means of a tool made 
from a hack-saw blade which has been ground to a 
taper. If the groove is found defective a new piston 
should be used. Rings should fit the bushing fairly 
snug, and should be lapped to a joint with the use of 
a light oil. If rings are fitted too tightly the scarf ends 
of the ring will distort the ring grooves. 

If the ring or gage shows the bushing out of round, 
it should be reamed, rolled or ground to even size be- 
fore being fitted for packing rings. Care must be ex- 
ercised in the use of reamers or rollers as they have 
been known to produce bad bushings. 

Feed grooves should be cleaned with pointed wooden 
sticks, and gaskets and valves of rubber or leather 
should be wiped ofT and not scraped. In wiping the 
various air brake parts, cloth should be used instead of 
waste. 

Slide Valve Repairs — In facing down the slide valve 
or flat graduating valve, the work should be done on 
a lead face plate by means of flour emery used dry. 
Slide valve seats, if badly worn, should be filed with 
square triple files having ward sides. It is better prac- 
tice to grind a valve entirely in preference to scraping. 
Ground glass or carborundum in medium and fine grades 
should be used. An oil grind with some grade of light 
oil will finish the work. 

Triple valve pistons and emergency valves should be 

l:J{ 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



tested on centers. The graduating stem should work 
freely in the guide nut, and the graduating stem spring 
and retarded release spring must conform to standard 
dimensions and be free from corrosion. Before applying 
the various parts to the triple, all cap screws, bolts and 
other threaded portions should be coated lightly with 
oil and graphite for facilitating future removals. 

Care should be used in removing the emergency valve 
seat and unless the emergency valve rubber seat is in 
first class condition, it should be renewed. 

Slide valve springs should have just enough tension 
to hold the valve in engagement with its seat when not 
subjected to air pressure. Excessive tension of the spring 
places an unnecessary load on the slide valve and in- 
creases the resistance to movement, and therefore, im- 
pairs the sensitiveness of the valve. 

Lubrication — The seats and faces of the slide valves 
and graduating valves should be lubricated with triple- 
valve graphite, rubbing it in thoroughly by means of a 
piece of chamois skin glued to the end of a stick shaved 
to resemble a paddle. After the pores of the brass have 
been filled, and surfaces have been poHshed with a 
chamois, all free graphite should be removed. Tf any 
free graphite remains it is likely to roll up, particularly 
where moisture is encountered and produce the opposite 
from the desired effect. 

Standard gaskets should always be used, as home-made 
gaskets do not serve the purpose anywhere near as well. 

Check valves should be carefully ground in. 

The triple valve packing ring and its bushing should 
be lubricated with either a light oil or suitable grease. 
The bush should be lubricated after insertion of the pis- 
ton, and parts should be lubricated sparingly. 

124 



AIR BRAKE REPAIRS 



No lubrication should be applied to the emergency 
piston, emergency valve or check valve, and no triple 
should be allowed to go in service after being cleaned, 
until it has stood the test on an M. C. B. tester. 

Retaining Valves — The retaining valve is connected 
to the triple exhaust port, and is used to retain air in 
the cylinders after the triple has been released and is 
charging up its auxiliary. The retainer valve and its 
pipe should be tested each time the brake cylinder and 
triple valve are cleaned or tested. Tests can be made by 
fully applying brakes and then releasing w^ith the re- 
tainer handles turned up. Three minutes after the triple 
has moved to release position, it should be noted that 
the brake shoes are held tight against the wheels, and if 
considerable air exhausts when the retaining valve is 
again turned down, the valve and its attendant piping 
may be considered all right. 

The restricted exhaust port in retaining valves should 
be cleaned each time the triple valve is cleaned. In case 
the weighted valve or the cock leaks, they may be ground 
in with grinding compound and the cock lubricated with 
tallow mixed with a small amount of beeswax. 

Every freight car should be equipped with a retainer 
valve, which should always stand in a vertical position. 
The location should be such that water cannot gather 
nor freeze in the vent port. The ideal location is near 
the brake staff, within easy reach, with at least 1 inch 
clearance over the cap for removal. On drop end gondola 
cars they should be located near the top of the right 
side board, "B" end of the car, and within easy reach 
from the end sill. 

On oil tank cars the retaining valve should be located 

12.*; 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



on the same side as the hand-brake staff, and on the 
side of the car directly over the triple valve. 

On oil tank cars having outside sills, the valve should 
be supported by a bracket attached to the sill, and within 
convenient reach of the running board. On cars not hav- 
ing outside sills, the valves should be attached at a 
convenient point on the side of the tank by a bracket 
securely riveted to the tank. 

Regardless of retainer valve location, bolts instead of 
rivets must be used to hold the retainer in place. This 
is done for the purpose of easy removal. 

Brake Cylinders — Cleaning and Lubricating — In 
removing the piston from a brake cylinder, the piston 
should be secured firmly to the non-pressure head 
in order that the tension of the spring may not be lost. 
It is then possible to remove the head, piston and spring 
at one time, after the cylinder bolts and nuts have been 
separated. All dirt deposits should then be removed 
with a putty knife or similar tool, and rust spots in the 
cylinder should be scraped out by means of a half round 
file, ground to a sharp cutting edge. The cylinder should 
be cleaned with kerosene but care must be taken to see 
that no kerosene comes in contact with the brake-cylin- 
der leathers as mineral oil destroys the filler which is 
used to make the leather air-tight. 

The leakage groove at the back end of the cylinder 
should be cleaned out, and in cleaning out the auxiliary 
tube the triple should be disconnected from its auxil- 
iary. 

The expanding ring, when applied in the packing 
leather, should be a true circle and fit the entire cir- 
cumference, with an opening at the ends from 3/16 to 
J4 inch ; when removed from the cylinder the ring open- 

126 



AIR BRAKE REPAIRS 



ing- should be 11.4 to 1 9/16 inches, but of course, with 
this opening the ring will not be a true circle. Rings 
should be closely examined and should not be used if 
they have the wrong dimensions. Old rings should be 
repaired and gaged. 

Leathers should be turned flat to reveal cracks and 
weak spots. Packing leathers worn more on one side 
than the other should be turned so as to bring the thin 
side at the top of the cylinder. If the wear is extreme, 
new leathers should be used. Pistons should be turned 
each time cylinders are cleaned, and in applying new 
leathers be sure and place the flesh side of the leath- 
ers on the piston in such a manner as to bring it against 
the walls of the cylinder. 

In lubricating the cylinders a suitable compound should 
be used lightly upon the cylinder walls and upon the out- 
side surface of the leather. Lubricant must not be placed 
on the inside of the packing leather. 

A thin coating of lubricant must be applied tO' the 
^ntire interior cylinder wall with a brush. 

In entering a piston, care must be used or the leather 
will be injured. Blunt flat bands of iron serve the 
purpose nicely. After entering the piston part way, 
describe an 8-inch circle with the piston sleeve. In 
case the expanding ring is out of place this cannot be 
done. 

Stencil marks should be scraped off or repainted. The 
place of cleaning, day, month and year must be stencilled 
with white paint, preferably on both sides of the cylin- 
der or auxiliary reservoir. 

M. C. B. Recommendations — The M. C. B. Associa- 
tion in their circular No. 20, dated November 25, 1918, 
says in part: 

127 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



"Inasmuch as inspection shows that the brakes on a 
great many cars are not now being cleaned, even in 12 
months, it is recommended that wherever possible, they 
be cleaned at the expiration of the nine month period. 

''Third, that all roads not equipped with the stand- 
ard triple valve test rack and the standard air brake 
hose coupling gage, procure them as soon as possible. 

"Fourth, that the number of brakes cleaned yearly 
by each road should equal or exceed the number of cars 
owned. 

"Fifth, that special attention be given to maintaining 
brake pipes, brake cylinder, reservoir, retaining valve 
and pipe secured to the car. 

"Sixth, that angle cocks and cutout cocks should have 
operative handle with proper clearance." 

The nuts holding the cylinder and auxiliary to their 
respective plates, and the latter to the car, should be 
securely tightened. This is very important. A majority 
of brake pipe leaks occur at the triple valve union, be- 
cause the auxiliary reservoir and cylinder have become 
loose on the car. 

Testing Brake Cylinders — An air gauge should be 
used in testing a brake cylinder for leakage. Connec- 
tions should be made at the triple exhaust, before the 
retainer pipe is connected up. 

With the latest type of retainers, the gage should be 
screwed into the exhaust port of the retainer. 

After the auxiliary has been fully charged, sufficient 
reductions of brake-pipe pressure are made on the out- 
side shop tester to produce 50-lb. brake-cylinder pres 
sure. The triple is then released. With the gage at- 
tached to the exhaust no' brake-cylinder air can escape. 

128 



AIR BRAKE REPAIRS 



Brake-cylinder leakage should not exceed five pounds 
per minute. By following this method the exact amount 
of leakage is determined because there can be no loss 
through the triple. 

Where the triple and cylinder has been cleaned and 
tested the brake pipe and strainer should be thoroughly 
blown out ; the branch pipe, and the triple valve strainer 
should also receive cleaning attention. 

Piston Travel — Running piston travel on cars should 
be 8 in. Due to the various movements of parts in mo- 
tion, it has been found that running travel is greater 
than standing travel. Therefore, in taking up slack on 
standing cars the travel should not be less than 6 nor 
greater than 7 in. 

Rip Track Inspection — All cars on the rip track for 
repairs should be tested, regardless of dates stenciled on 
the auxiliaries or cylinders. Cars should be coupled to 
the yard testing plant, and brake pipe leakage reduced 
to 3 lbs. per minute, and the triple valve tested to de- 
termine whether it will properly apply and release. At 
the same time, the retainers and piping should be tested 
and piston travel adjusted. A regular tester should be 
used for this purpose. 

In inspecting a repaired car, attention should be given 
to pipe clamps. Missing ones should be applied and loose 
ones tightened. Hose and angle cocks should be turned 
to proper angle and position. 

Pipe joints, air hose, release valves, angle and stop 
cocks should be tested by means of soap suds under 80 
lb. air pressure. 

Look out for missing or defective brake shoes, brake 
beams or foundation brake gear, and see that the levers, 

129 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



and rods are of the proper dimensions and have the 
proper angle. Brake levers should stand at approxi- 
mately right angles with their rods, when brakes are 
applied with correct piston travel. 

The hand brakes should be examined to see if they are 
in a satisfactory condition. 



130 



CHAPTER X. 
AIR BRAKE RECOMMENDATIONS 

Most of the common air brake troubles are due to 
oversights which in themselves seem small, but which 
in time, prove costly. 

Brakie Cylinders and Reservoirs — The brake cylinder 
and reservoir should be located in the most accessible 
place to facilitate inspection and repairs ; and where steel 
reservoirs are used they should be attached by means 
of wrought iron straps, as finger or end clamps allow 
the drum to become loose and cause pipe leaks. 

The brake cylinders on freight cars should be at- 
tached to steel or wrought iron plates, of ample strength 
to prevent deflection under brake applications. Where 
wood is used it has been found that the cylinders can- 
not be kept tight. 

In bolting the reservoirs and cylinders to the car all 
bolts should have locking nuts or cotters. Bolt heads 
should be set in socket washers. Where possible, it is 
better practice to use the combined type of cylinder and 
auxiliary reservoir in place of the detached type, to pre- 
vent the leakage from extra piping. 

Release Valve and Rod — Where possible, the release 
valve should be located on top of the freight auxiliary, 
with a rod of ample strength (not less than 3/^ round 
iron) extending to the outside of the car, with a sub- 
stantial support at outer end of rod. 

Bleed cocks, on auxiliary and supplementary reser- 

131 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



voirs on cars having deep center sills, should be pro- 
vided with a rod extended through the center sill, to 
the side of the car opposite the reservoir. This allows 
an easy release from both sides of the car. 

Automatic Slack Adjusters — Slack adjusters function 
so automatically that they receive, as a rule, insufficient 
attention. They should always be cleaned, lubricated 
and tested each time the brake cylinder is cleaned. Its 
cylinder should take the same lubricant which is used 
in the brake cylinder when the adjusters, packing 
leather, and expander are examined. Dry graphite 
should be used in the ratchet nut for the screw. Type 
"]" will take 10 cu. ins. ; type "K," 14 cu. ins. Graphite 
used in greater quantities will cause caking. 

Slack adjusters are tested with a brake cylinder pis- 
ton travel of 10 ins. and initial pressure of 50 lbs. ; al- 
lowing not more than 5 lbs. leakage per minute. 

Pipes — In piping, sharp bends and elbows should be 
avoided as they cause friction in the passage of air. 
Pipes should be hammered and blown out on both new 
and old work before being connected up ; and in mak- 
ing joints a mixture of graphite and oil should be used. 
It is better to use a superior grade of pipe and pipe 
fittings for all air brake and signal pipe work. 

Brake Pipe — On passenger equipment 1%. in. extra 
heavy pipe should be used for brake pipes, and on 
freight equipment, cars, lj4 '^^- standard weight pipe 
should be used. 

Pipes should not sag or contain pockets, and sub- 
stantial pipe clamps should be used in sufficient num- 
bers to keep pipes from shifting or vibrating. In 
clamping any pipe it is well to remember that the pipes 

132 



AIR BRAKE RECOMMENDATIONS 



should be held at the center of vibration. Leaks occur 
rapidly at joints when a pipe is securely clamped at 
its ends and is allowed to vibrate at its center. 

On all cars, a nipple 10 ins. long should be used be- 
hind the angle cock to facilitate future repairs. On coal 
carrying and refrigerator cars, 1^ in. galvanized pipe 
should be used. 

Branch pipes should be so piped as to permit no strain 
on the triple valve. 

The brake pipe on the ends of cars should comply 
with M. C. B. standard. This is very important as 
any deviation will cause a long or short connection be- 
tween cars when coupled up. 

Centrifugal Dirt Collectors should be used and they 
should be placed between the cut-out cock and triple, as 
near to the latter as convenient. 

Retaining Valve Pipes — One elbow should be ap- 
plied to the retaining valve pipe, it being located at 
the end sill of the car where the pipe turns upward. 
(M. C. B.) 

The pipe should be carried along the side of the 
intermediate sill when practicable, from the triple valve 
to end of car, and be supported by clamps not to ex- 
ceed 6 feet apart, with the first clamp 6 ft. from the 
triple valve. Retaining valve pipe should run hori- 
zontally from the triple, then upward and extend to 
end of car by means of two right-angle bends, with 
union in horizontal pipe connected to triple by a pipe 
nipple 5 ins. or less in length. The object of this in- 
stallation is to provide flexibility in case the reservoir 
and cylinder shift position during a brake application. 
Galvanized pipe should be used on coal carrying and 
refrigerator cars. 

133 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



The vertical retaining valve pipe on end of car, pass- 
ing through hand-brake step, should be entirely free 
from bends, so as to permit removal when necessary. 
The step should be slotted at least 2i/^ ins. so that the 
pipe may be shifted in case the retainer requires re- 
moval. 

Triple Valve Exhaust Pipe — All triple valves not 
connected with a retaining valve should have an ex- 
haust pipe about 6 ins. long, screwed into exhaust port 
and bent downward. 

Braking Power — The light weight of a car, in con- 
nection with an established brake pipe pressure (or the 
resulting brake cylinder pressure, with brakes fully ap- 
plied) are used in determining the proper ratio of brake 
force necessary. 

The recommended brake pipe pressure to be used 
in determining braking ratio for service application 
should be 110 lbs. for passenger cars and 70 lbs. for 
freight cars. 

The following table covers Type of Equipment, Type 
of Control Apparatus, Brake Pipe, and Cylinder Pres- 
sure : 

Braking 
ratio Corre- 
Brake Brake spondlng 
pipe cyl. to cyl. 
pres- pres- pressure 
Type of Equipment Type of Control Apparatus sure sure percent 

Passenger Cars Quick Action Triple of 

all Types. 110 60 90 

Passenger Cars P. C. Passenger 

Control ^ 110 86 90 

Passenger Cars U. C. Universal 

Control 110 60 90 

Freight Cars Quick Action Triple 

Valves— All Types 70 50 60 

Freight Cars Empty and Load Brake J 60 

Equipment 70 50 1 40 

134 



AIR BRAKE RECOMMENDATIONS 

Leverage — The total leverage on all passenger and 
freight equipment cars must not exceed a proportion 
of 9 to 1 and truck levers on four wheel trucks must 
not exceed 4 to 1. 

For both freight and passenger equipment the hand 
and power brake should be harmonized ; in other words, 
they should work in the same direction so the power 
brake can take care of the hand brake slack. 

With new shoes and tires, the brake rods should be of 
such length that, with all slack out, the piston travel 
will be from 6 to 7 ins. Many times the slot in the 
struts of the brake beam does not allow full movement 
of the levers, and special inspections should be made 
of this. 

Many designs of brake rigging do not fully compen- 
sate for shoe wear and tire turning. Such cars will 
require brake rod changes to compensate for this faulty 
design when worn shoes and turned wheels occur. 

The use of inside hung brakes is unanimously con- 
ceded as best practice. The rigging is more compact, 
and the beam suspension from the truck instead of the 
car body maintains the rigging in its proper position as 
related to the truck, which is impossible on car body 
suspension. 

Truck suspension insures the maintaining of proper 
shoe height from the rail, regardless of the loaded or 
light weight of the car. This is important as the low- 
ering of brake shoes as the car is loaded, causes ex- 
cessive piston travel. Low hung shoes, also, produce 
low braking power and create excessive strains on brake 
hangers. It is preferable to have hangers not less than 
10 ins. in length and they should hang at right angles 

135 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



to the imaginary line drawn from the center of the 
wheel to the center of the shoe. Brake beams should 
not be less than 13 ins. from the rail to center of shoe 
at face. 

Figuring Braking Power — Braking power can be as- 
certained by finding the push rod force. Freight cars 
are braked at 60 per cent of their light weight, on a 
basis of 50 lbs. in the brake cylinder. To find the area 
of a brake cylinder, multiply the radius of the cylinder 
bore by itself and then multiply the result by 3 1/7. If 
the last result is then multiplied by 50 lbs., the final 
result will represent the pound pressure on the push 
rod. 

In figuring leverage, the point on the lever where 
the unknown force is applied is called the weight. The 
second point is where the known force is applied and is 
called the power. The third point is called the fulcrum. 

Regardless of where these points occur, the power 
arm is always the distance between the power and 
the fulcrum, and the weight arm is always the distance 
between the weight and the fulcrum. 

The power multiplied by the power arm and the re- 
sult divided by the weight arm gives the weight as an 
answer. 

The power multiplied by the power arm and the re- 
sult divided by the weight gives the weight arm as an 
answer. 

Recommendations — Automatic slack adjusters should 
be used on all passenger cars, in order that the vehicle 
may always have proper running piston travel. 

High speed brakes should be applied to all passenger 
equipment cars. 

136 



AIR BRAKE RECOMMENDATIONS 

Foundation brake gear on all modern passenger 
equipment cars should be designed so as to withstand 
105 lbs. brake cylinder pressure. Foundation brake 
gear on freight equipment cars should be suitable to 
withstand a brake cylinder pressure of 85 lbs., except 
where the Empty and Load Brake is applied, when GO 
lbs. cylinder pressure in both cylinders should be used 
as a basis in determining the strength of the rigging. 

The length and location of brake lever guides should 
be such as to provide for full take-up of slack by the 
automatic slack adjusters, with 11 in. piston travel, 
without permitting levers to strike. Where brake 
levers extend through steel underframes, the slots in 
frames should be sufficiently long to permit of free 
movement of lever with shoes worn out and with 12 
ins. piston travel. 

Brake beams should be provided with proper support 
to insure best efficiency and service from both the brake 
beam and brake shoes. 

When cars are in for general repairs, the foundation 
brake rigging should be thoroughly inspected and all 
excessive lost motion eliminated. All pins should be 
removed for inspection, pin holes trued up, and new 
pins applied wherever necessary. 

M. C. B. Brake Beam Requirements — (1) Standard 
length of brake beams from center to center of heads 
to be 60 ins. 

(2) All brake beams for heavy capacity freight 
cars and modern passenger equipment cars to endure 
maximum load at center without more than 1/16 in. 
deflection. 

(3) Height of brake beams measured from top of 

337 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



rail to center of face of new shoes to be 13 ins. for in- 
side hung beams. 

(4) Angle of brake beam lever to be 40 deg. from 
vertical. 

(5) Beam No. 2 must be used on cars of more than 
35,000 lbs. light weight and it may be used on cars of 
35,000 lbs. light weight or less. 

(6) Pinholes in brake beam struts to be drilled or 
reamed out to properly fit pins. 

(7) The brake beam hanger bracket must be at- 
tached to some rigid portion of the truck. 

(8) Brake beam hangers to be of ample length to 
allow for shoe and tire wear without causing a radical 
change in the angle of suspension. 

(9) Angle of brake hangers to subtend 90 deg. with 
a line drawn through the center of wheel and center of 
brake shoe when the brake is applied. This is to apply 
with shoes half worn. 

(10) Where brake beam release springs are neces- 
sary, they should be so designed that each will not exert 
a force upon the brake beam on which it bears, of more 
than 25 lbs. 

Hose — Standard M. C. B. hose should be used for 
the brake pipe on both passenger and freight cars. Sam- 
ple hose from each series should be tested as prescribed 
in the M. C. B. recommendations. In applying fittings 
to the hose, care must be taken to see that the ends are 
smooth and free from sharp edges. Kubber cement 
and not oil should be used in applying. Couplings should 
be gaged and those over the limit must not be used. 
Gaskets should measure to M. C. B. requirements. 

Cars on repair tracks should have hose tested for 
leakage by the use of soapsuds, when weather condi- 
tions will permit, and if found porous, or leaky around 

138 



AIR BRAKE RECOMMENDATIONS 



the fittings, should be removed. In applying the hose 
the threaded portion of the air hose nipple should be 
coated with a mixture of graphite and oil. 

Most hose fail due to the elements finding their way 
to the ducking from openings in the outer and inner 
lining of rubber. An uncoupled hose swings sufficiently 
to wear out at the nipple end. Air hose should be pro- 
vided with an approved, nipple-end protector. Many 
cases of leakage can be avoided by turning the angle 
cock to the correct angle and by repairing couplers 
which are over limit on the gage. 

Hand Brake Power — (1) Hand brake power for pas- 
senger equipment cars to be based on a pull of 1,500 
lbs. at hand brake staff chain when a 24 in. lever is 
used. 

(2) Sufficient hand brake chain and space on staff 
should be provided to prevent chain from lapping double 
or fouling; this with sufficient slack in brake rigging 
to produce 12-in. piston travel. 

(3) Hand brake power for passenger equipment 
cars to be not less than 40 per cent of the light weight 
of cars or greater than 80 per cent. 

(4) Hand brake power for freight equipment cars 
to be calculated with pull of 1,500 lbs. on hand brake 
staff chain. 

(5) Hand brake power for freight equipment cars 
to be equal to 50 per cent of light weight of car. 

(6) Where a compression spring is used with hand 
brake levers, it should be of ample length to permit 
maximum movement of levers with 12-in. piston travel, 
without fouling or spring being compressed solid. 

These recommendations' are based largely upon the 
requirements of the Air Brake Associations and the 
Master Car Builders' Associations. 

139 



CHAPTER XI. 

TESTING FREIGHT TRAIN BRAKES 

Freight trains should receive the same tests as pas- 
senger trains before leaving a Terminal. The co-opera- 
tion of two departments is absolutely necessary. The 
Mechanical Department must supply the men, the right 
kind of men, and enough men to handle the work 
quickly and well. The Transportation Department must 
allow time for these tests. IMost road delays due to 
faulty equipment are caused by lack of Terminal in- 
spection. 

Compressed Air at Yards — Many freight yards are 
equipped with compressed air for testing trains and 
such work is facilitated by such installations. Never- 
theless, it is generally acknowledged that the best method 
from a practical standpoint consists in using an in- 
bound test in order to save time in switching out bad 
orders. An outbound test should also be used as a 
check. 

Incoming lest — Enginemen and trainmen of freight 
trains on arrival at terminal will leave the brakes ap- 
plied by a 20 lb. service reduction made from 70 lbs. 
Where the engineman has made an automatic applica- 
tion for stopping he will, as soon as stopped, add to 
it by one further, continuous reduction, sufficient to 
make a total of 20 lbs. On its completion he will give 
one short whistle blast as advice to brakemen that he 
may cut off, and to inspectors that inspection may 
begin. 

141 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



When the train must be left on two or more tracks, 
or crossings must be cut, those concerned will follow 
the foregoing plan before cutting off each part. 

On brakes being applied, as indicated by whistle sig- 
nal, inspectors will at once and rapidly examine for 
piston travel, brakes failing to apply, any that have 
leaked off, and brake-pipe leaks. At this time make 
no repairs ; merely indicate the defects with chalk. 

After completing inspection, repair the defects that 
should be cared for in the yard. For other defects 
bad-order cars for repair tracks unless impracticable, 
as with perishable or time freight. The air brake and 
the general inspection should not be combined. 

Piston Travel — Adjust incorrect piston travel (4 ins. 
or less or over 8 ins.) close to 7 or 8 ins., but before 
marking for apparent short travel, be sure, by trying 
brake beam, that the brake has not partially leaked off. 

When m.aking the incoming brake test it is necessary 
for the inspector to go over the train quite rapidly to 
inspect all the cars before the brakes leak off. Most 
men are unable to judge the distance the piston travels 
without going under the car, and, for that reason, rarely 
mark a car for brake adjustment unless it has a very 
long travel. 

In order to overcome this trouble the measuring de- 
vice described in the following may be used. It con- 
sists of a scale 12 ins. long mounted on a handle 4 ft. 
long so as to resemble a "T". Both parts are made of 
seasoned pine material and the handle should be made 
.>^ ins. round. 

The scale is painted black and stenciled with white 
figures one inch apart with proper markings. The fig- 
ures should start from figure *'6" in the center and go 

142 



TESTING FREIGHT TRAIN BRAKES 

to figure "12" in both directions so that either end of 
the scale may be used. Scale should be ^ ins. thick 
and 134 ins. wide. 

The handle is made lyi ins. wide at the end where 
the scale is jointed to the handle. By holding the scale 
against the piston rod the travel can be checked rapidly 
without getting under the car. 

Consider cars over twelve months since brakes were 
cleaned as having defective brakes. Loads that can- 
not be held for brake repairs earlier will, where the 
destination is a terminal, be marked on arrival, "B. O. 
when empty" with date, and will be delivered to repair 
tracks as soon as practicable after unloading. 

The following form is a very good one to check up 
the amount of work done at the different repair points 
and as the date of previous stenciling is included they 
can at once note any indication of poor workmanship 
which would result In cars from any particular repair 
point having to be recleaned before a reasonable service 
is secured. 



NAME OF ROAD 

Report of Air Brakes Cleaned Repaired 

and Lubricated at Station 

Month Year Car Date 

Previous Stenciling Initial No. or Name 

Class Date 

Shop Remarks 

Records — There should be two record books used by 
the air brake cleaner; one is turned in eveiy night, 

143 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



with a record of all work done that day, and the other 
book is issued for the next day's work. 

The advantage of having the stenciling for air brake 
cleaning applied so that it can be seen on both sides 
of a car, is apparent. 

Brake Pipe Tests — Brake-pipe leakage is one of the 

most liberal contributors to train shock and break-in- 
twos. It wastes air, takes away from the engineman 
the ability to control the amount of brake applications, 
contributes to brakes sticking, causes overheating of 
the air compressors and even prevents the maintenance 
of standard brake-pipe pressure. The maximum brake- 
pipe leakage allowable should not exceed 7 lbs. per 
minute as determined by standard test. This test 
should invariably be given before out-bound trains are 
allowed to proceed. 

Out Bound Test — After the engine is coupled to train 
and air brake system completely charged to 70 lbs. a 
brake-pipe reduction of 10 lbs. should be made and the 
brake-valve handle then placed in lap position. A leak- 
age greater than 7 lbs. per minute is excessive and 
should be taken care of. Evidence of leakage is found 
by noting the air gauge in the cab of locomotive or the 
caboose gauge. Train should be stretched during this 
test. 

Brake-pipe leakage is produced in numerous ways 
but the most common causes for it are poorly clamped 
piping that will permit shifting in switch movements 
or shocks which occur along the road. Allowing train 
and yard men to pull hose apart instead of separating 
them by hand creates many leaks in time, as this pro- 
duces spread coupling jaws, destroys gaskets and cre- 
ates porous hose. Excessive slack tends to stretch hose, 

144 



TESTING FREIGHT TRAIN BRAKES 

causing them to open. Auxiliary reservoirs, loo'sely 
bolted, tend to create leaks at the triple union nut. 

The other factors which assist in producing leakage 
are brake pipes applied out of proper height and dis- 
tance from the face of the coupler, nipple ends broken 
off, and new threads cut on old nipples and angle cocks 
not given the proper angle toward center of the track, all 
of which do their ''bit" toward producing shocks and 
break-in-twos. 

Brake Rigging Inspection — In the v^ork of inspec- 
tion, special attention should be given tO' certain 
parts of the brake rigging. Brake beams, brake-beam 
connections, and brake hangers should be carefully 
inspected to see that they are in good condition with 
brake-connection pins in place, and cotter or split keys 
properly applied and opened. 

Brake levers and lower brake-connecting rods to be 
inspected to see that they are in good condition and 
brake beams and beam connections examined for defects. 

Brake hangers should be inspected at the brake head 
to see that they are not worn till unsafe. This should 
also apply to hanger at truck connection, to see that 
the hook or eye are not worn to unsafe limit. 

Testing Hand-Brakes — Hand brakes should be tested 
to see that they are in operative condition and the brake 
chains not too long to prevent fouling when brakes are 
applied. Brake chain links should not be less than ^ 
in. in diameter at any point. 

Brake wheels, brake-ratchet wheel and brake-ratchet 
pawl should be inspe/:ted to see that they are properly 
retained and careful inspection should be made to see 
*-hat they are properly maintained. 

14.5 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Bolts and pins used in connection with hand brakes 
should be in place and properly secured. 

Triple Valve Leaks — Triple-valve defects are caused 
by leaking slide valves, check valve case gaskets, oi 
rubber-seated valves, main piston packing rings, defec- 
tive auxiliary reservoir tubes and defective graduating 
springs. A blow from the triple valve exhaust indi- 
cates valve leak or a rubber-seated valve leak. If the 
blows stops with brakes applied, the trouble is in the 
triple valve slide valve. The test is made by cutting 
out the cut-out cock tO' the triple valve. If the slide 
valve is known to be all right a triple valve gasket is 
leaking or there is a defective auxiliary reservoir tube. 
A slide valve may cause a blow in any position the 
triple valve assumes, but a defective tube or body gas- 
ket will only produce a blow in release position of the 
triple valve. 

A leaking piston packing ring may keep a brake from 
applying when a light reduction has been made on a 
long train, and invariably this triple valve will have 
difficulty in releasing, causing stuck brakes. A dirty 
triple or a defective graduating spring will cause unde- 
sired quick action. A triple acting this way is known 
as a ''dynamiter". Many times the blow at the ex- 
haust port of a triple valve may be stopped by jarring 
the triple valve with a hammer. 

Stretching the Trains — A stretched train exposes 
many leaks passed unnoticed in a bunched train. Many 
points use a yard air plant for testing trains and it is 
generally admitted that such an installation saves con- 
siderable time and labor; but it must be remembered 
that brake pipe leakage represents the greater part of 

146 



TESTING FREIGHT TRAIN BRAKES 

air-brake defects, and with a yard plant there is a ten- 
dency to test trains as they are found, which means as 
a rule a bunched train. It must be understood that a 
test for a full train or its sections must be made when 
the train is stretched, regardless of whether the test 
is made by locomotive or yard plant. 

At many points where time is not available, extra 
gangs should make the repairs as found by the in- 
spectors. There is a tendency on many roads to have 
an inspector cover all parts of a car on his task of 

inspection. This is objectionable for two reasons. Air 
leakage demands quick attention if the defect is to be 
located. Furthermore, the importance of the air brake 
demands the full attention of an inspector. 

If a freight train receives the same attention as is 
given a passenger train innumerable delays now preva- 
lent in this particular service will be eliminated. 



147 



CHAPTER XII. 
DERAILMENTS AND DERRICK CARS 

Derrick cars are placed at various points for picking 
up wrecks. It is a rule at the principal points, to keep 
the boiler under steam and ready for instant use. A 
regularly organized gang should accompany the derrick. 

The cause of each derailment should be determined if 
possible, with the view^ of preventing a reoccurrence due 
to a similar cause, but it is very often a difficult matter 
to place the blame between the operating, maintenance, 
and mechanical departments. It is the duty of the repre- 
sentative of the mechanical department, authorized to 
render the report, to look the territory over carefully to 
see if defective car equipment is responsible. 

Many different causes enter into derailments, and the 
mechanical representative should kxiow wihat indica- 
tions to look for in his investigation. 

Derailments are caused mainly by mechanical failures 
or imperfections in cars, locomotives and track. Often 
such failures are a combination of defects between two 
of the above factors, as for instance, a car having 
wheels wuth worn flanges or tread worn hollow may 
climb the rail at a point in a curve where the track is 
out of line, surface or gauge. The flanges being worn 
decrease the gauge of the wheels and increase the lia- 
bility of the wheel to leave the rails where the gauge is 
wide. 

Low joints in track may cause a fracture of an arch 
bar in cold weather, which in the majority of cases re- 
sults in a broken truck and often a derailment. 

149 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



More derailments have been caused by failures of 
brake beams and connections improperly supported than 
by any other part of the car. Broken brake hangers, 
and bolts, missing cotter keys, shoes and brake shoe 
keys, and broken and worn cut brake beam heads con- 
tribute to the causes of derailments. 

Defective wheels are also responsible for many seri- 
ous wrecks. This fact may be coupled with operating 
conditions as resulting in brake-burnt and slidflat wheels. 
A car may leave a terminal under normal conditions 
and before it has traveled very far, perhaps only 50 
miles, the air brake may become defective or inopera- 
tive ; or other conditions may arise which will cause 
the wheels to heat and break. 

One common cause of derailments is so-called 
"spread track". The lateral movement of both cars 
and locomotives is normally about 1^ inches. This 
lateral movement at high speeds causes a continued and 
sufficient pressure against the rails to force them out of 
gauge. 

Straight track is maintained easier than curves and 
it is a noticeable fact that more derailments occur on 
curves than on straight track. 

Loose and low joints causing incessant pounding 
in the early part of the spring before the frost is en- 
tirely out of the ground, tends to loosen spikes a few 
feet each way from each joint and in such cases a rail 
may "turn over'*. 

The locomotive is harder on the track than the cars. 
It has a long wheel base, which tends to force the 
rails out on curves. The tractive effort also, exerted 
in a curve, tends to force the rails apart. The heavy 
wheel loads of the locomotive on the track, if the track 

150 



DERAILMENTS AND DERRICK CARS 

is not well supported, tend to strain and gradually 
weaken the rail, — "part new and part old defect"^ — as 
it would be shown in the Casualty report. 

In handling wrecks or derailments, the object in 
view, if the main lines are blocked, is to clear one main 
line as soon as possible. The train dispatcher will ad- 
vise which one should be cleared first if one is as eas)- 
to clear as another. Methods used vary with the size 




The Strong- Arm of the Car Department, Better Known as the 

"Big Hook". 



of derailment, cars or engines involved, and lading of 
cars, together with facilities for working and the loca- 
tion of the derailment. Here again the dispatcher's 
knowledge of the location and conditions will be of 
value to the wrecking foreman and it is good policy to 
get in touch with him before leaving the terminal. Con- 
ditions that exist and where work can be started to ad- 
vantage, will then be known before the outfit leaves 
the terminal. 

151 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



The trainmaster often accompanies the wrecking out- 
fit, and in such cases the wrecking foreman may rely 
on him to keep in touch with dispatcher and notify him 
when extra trains are due. 

The photograph shows a 100 ton wrecking derrick 
which is used in handling cars and locomotives which 
have been derailed. 

The flat cars at the left contain auxiliary trucks to 
be applied to wrecked cars ; and the one at the right is 
equipped with a water tank and is used for storing a 
supply of blocking and chains to be used in handling 
cars. The combination sleeping and dining car is seen 
in the background. 

A tool car for jacks, cables, rail clamps, tackle blocks, 
torches, lanterns, bolts, brasses, track spikes, track bolts, 
and a various assortment of tools, is also necessary in 
every well organized wrecking outfit. 

The wrecking crane or ''big hook" generally comes 
under the direct supervision of the car foreman. When 
not out on the road it serves a valuable purpose about 
the rip track in handling heavy parts such as timbers, 
trucks, car wheels and sills. 



152 



CHAPTER XIII. 
HOT BOXES. 

The idea prevails among many that the care of the car 
journal is simply a process of stuffing the journal box 
full of oil-soaked waste. But men experienced in this 
branch of lubrication realize that it is a subject of vital 
importance. More economical methods are being 
evolved daily, as is proven by the fact that although the 
equipment is heavier and the cost of materials has 
increased, the lubrication costs have been reduced from 
year to year, simply because better methods are used, 
eliminating the waste caused by improper oiling. 

Oil on the ground settles dust but does not prevent 
hot boxes. It is possible to prevent hot boxes on cars, 
and avoid consequent delays and possible accidents by 
a thorough understanding of lubrication. 

It is impossible to compute, with any degree of ac- 
curacy, the total cost of one hot box to a railroad com- 
pany; but when one considers the delay to the train, 
the loss of revenue if the car has to be set out, the cost 
of sending men out with material to make repairs, the 
loss of material through damage or destruction of jour- 
nal, brass or packing, the damage to the body of the 
cai, the occasional necessity for replacing the wheels, 
and even the entire destruction of the particular car — 
all of these make the hot-box expense a huge one. 
There is also the danger of the car being left adjacent 
to buildings or explosives, and causing additional dam- 
age. 

153 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Due to the fact that this interesting subject has been 
covered from so many different angles, there has been 
great diversity of opinion on just what represents the 
ultimate cure. Unfortunately most articles treating on 
-his subject have dealt v^ith but one phase, and coming 




Two Hot Boxes Are Shown on the Second and Third Cars. A Very 
Familiar Scene to Most Carmen. 



from a seemingly reliable source, they have drawn a 
number of converts to different methods of checking 
this trouble. Hence various roads follow various meth- 
ods to combat these hot box epidemics. 

Which is right ? No doubt all are to a greater or 

154 



HOT BOXES 



less degree. Few attack the problem with a knowledge 
of all the contributing causes. 

Hot boxes originate from two major causes; exces- 
sive pressure and lack of wick contact. With the car 
oil generally in use, a pressure over 800 pounds per 
square inch on a journal will force oil out and allow a 
contact of the brass and journal. Weights on journals 
are so figured that about one- fourth of this weight is 
generally placed on every square inch of the bearing sur- 
face of the journal. Therefore under proper running con- 
ditions an overloaded car would not run hot as cars are 
never loaded four times greater than their capacity. 
What then creates this excessive pressure sufficient to 
create hot boxes? It is caused by unequal distribution 
of weight usually due to imperfect car brass wedges. 

The top surface of the M. C. B. wedge has a 78 in. 
radius. This imposes the weight allotted for that jour- 
nal on the center of the wedge to be distributed over 
the brass evenly. 

With the top of a wedge worn flat, any irregularity 
of the brass will cause excessive pressure at either one 
end of the brass or the other, and instead of there being 
a pressure not greater than 300 pounds to the square 
inch, the pressure runs sufficiently high to destroy the 
oil separator between the brass and the journal. Loaded 
cars will feel this effect sooner than light cars, but let 
it be understood that with a car brass wedge distribut- 
ing an even weight per square inch over the bearing 
surface of the journal, an ordinary overload will not 
create a hot box. It is plain, therefore, that car brass 
wedges should be gaged before being applied, and im- 
perfect ones sent to the reclamation plant. 

Excessive Friction — Excessive friction is caused by 

155 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



defective lubrication or excessive bearing pressure. De- 
fective lubrication may be the result of using an in- 
ferior lubricant, an insufficient amount of lubricant or 
because not enough oil reaches the journal. There will 




The Tips of the Wedge Are Broken and the Wedge has Worked 
Partially Out of the Box. This Causes Excessive Bearing Pres- 
sure at the Front of the Journal. The Result is a Hot Box. 



be insufficient lubrication if the packing is not up against 
the journal or if the v^aste has insufficient capillary at- 
traction. 

156 



HOT BOXES 



Capillary attraction is the power which conducts or 
delivers the oil from the bottom of the box to the jour- 
nal. Wool waste has less capillary attraction than cot- 
ton. Packing should have capillary attraction, should 
be absorbent so that it will carry a large quantity of 
oil, and should require replenishing but seldom. It 
should be resilient so that a small quantity can be used, 
and so that it can be depended upon to bear with light, 
persistent pressure upon the journal. 

An inferior bearing metal contains hard spots, which 
alone bear when the soft metal is worn, thus letting the 
hard spots carry all the load. This condition exists 
where brasses are relined at the local shops, at which 
places babbitt is collected from various machines in 
the shop and is likely to be mixed with steel shavings, 
etc. In cases where this kind of babbitt is used, it is 
good practice to take a light cut over the bearing face 
with a boring bar grinder on a specially designed ma- 
chine which smoothes the face of the brass. 

Brass and lining should be true to designed dimen- 
sions so as to fit the wedge and box perfectly, and must 
have sufficient strength to support the load without 
buckling; and material should be used which the oil 
will adhere to easily. The metal must be hard enough 
to hold its shape under the load and temperature to 
which the service subjects it. It should be soft enough 
to soon shape itself to the greatest number of irregulari- 
ties in the journal, thus increasing the bearing area and 
reducing the pressure per square inch. It should be 
soft enough so that it will be injured by grit before the 
journal is (for it is much easier to change a brass than 
a journal) ; but it must not be so soft that it would 
be injured by very soft substances which would 

157 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



grind up without damage. It should not be seriously af- 
fected by the usual temperature changes. It should 
not, when melted, have a tendency to cling to the jour- 
nal. It should be a good conductor so as to quickly 
carry away the heat that is generated in service, and 
not keep it confined at the actual bearing surface. 

Insufficient bearing surface may result because of 
the journal having a bearing on the sides and no bear- 
ing on the crown ; thus relieving the crown of the load 
it should carry and causing a pinching of the journal. 
Or the bearing may be too loose on the sides, causing 
a concentration of the load on a small part of the crown 
that the sides should help to carry. Excessive bearing 
concentration results if the journal is too small or if 
the bearing metal is raised off the journal by the pres- 
sure of foreign abrasive or cutting particles, or if the 
bearings are out of alinement, as in the case of truck 
sides being out of square with the axles. When part 
of the bearing is relieved from carrying its proportion 
of the load, part of the journal in contact is overloaded. 
This uneven contact is noticeable on worn bearing 
brasses which are removed. 

Lack of Wick Contact — Lack of wick contact is the 
most common source of hot boxes. The average oil 
box on our cars contains a gallon of oil, and an exam- 
ination of a train shows wheel plates covered with oil 
that has run out the opening at the back end of the 
box, which is considerably lower than the opening at 
the front. All the oil in creation, however, will not 
keep a box from running hot if the wick or dope is not 
in contact with the journal. Many things cause lack 
of wick contact; wrong kind of packing, dope with 
short ends, fibre without resiliency, dirty dope and 

158 



HOT BOXES 



improper packing. Dope should have long threads 
and be permanently resilient. Dope should be rolled 
loosely by hand with the long threads wrapped over the 




The Illustration Shows One of the Common Causes of Hot Boxes. 
Loose Strands of Waste Left Hanging Out of the End of the 
Oil Box will Act as a Syphon and Draw the Oil out of a Box 
AVicking- and Cause a Hot Box Due to Lack of Lubrica- 
tion. This Shows How Necessary it is that no 
Strands of Packing be Left Hanging Out to 
Allow Oil to Drip Away. 



rest similar to a pillow. Boxes should not be packed 
too high or too tight. The use of an adjustable dust 
guard is strongly recommended to prevent dust and 

159 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



snow entering the box, and in addition a back plug 
should be used and box should not be packed in front 
of the collar. The use of packing with permanent re- 
siliency or spring to make constant wick contact will 
show the biggest improvements. 

Capillary Attraction — Insufficient capillary power 
may result from the packing being charred, or covered 
with sand and grit, or by the oil having been washed 
out and packing soaked by water or melting snow. 

''Dry waste" is caused by waste remaining in the box 
too long without attention, boxes standing in water, 
strands hanging out the end of the box, crack in box, 
or v/aste improperly prepared. "Dirty waste" is caused 
by improperly fitting dust guard, oil box cover lost or 
not fitting close to the oil box, and carelessness of the 
packer. Water causes ordinary waste to lose its re- 
siliency. 

A test on saturation may be made quickly by grasping 
a piece of waste in one hand and squeezing it tight; if 
a small amount of oil shows up on the back of the hand, 
between the fingers, the waste contains sufficient oil. 
The fibers may be tested by picking up a piece of satu- 
rated waste and pulling it apart ; if the fibers come apart 
without breaking after it has been separated .10 to 12 
inches, they are too short. 

All packing contains a certain percentage of short 
stock which is by no means valueless ; in fact, if all 
the stock were long the waste would be extremely hard 
to separate into proper portions for packing, as well as 
being almost double in price. 

Maintaining Box Covers — At this point it might be 
well to note some of the preventive measures which 
may be taken to reduce the likelihood of hot boxes. Dirt 

160 



HOT BOXES 



entering the journal box causes the waste to lose a great 
deal of its resiliency, and consequently destroys the 
wick contact. A packing which does not depend alone 
on the resiliency of the waste, wall improve this condi- 
tion. The importance of maintaining oil box covers is 
not generally recognized today. The argument has been 




Journal Boxes Are Equipped -v^ath Lids and Should be Maintained. 
Dust and Sand in the Box Destroy the Wick Contact. 



made that a box with a missing cover seldom or never 
runs hot. There may be some truth in this, but if wc 
are to keep foreign substances from the oil and waste 

161 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



in the journal boxes the box cover should be maintained. 
A tight fitting lid keeps the oil in and the dirt out. 

Cars that are in coal, ore, sand, dirt, or ballast service 
should be especially watched as the dust from the load 
gets into the box and acts as an abrasive. It also mixes 
with the oil in the dope and the mixture draws the wick- 
ing away from the journal. 




A Familiar Sight in Many Train Yards. Such Conditions Should be 
Corrected at Each Terminal. 



The illustrations show the condition of packing in two 
boxes without covers. The absence of covers is a lead- 
ing reason for "robbed" journal boxes. 

162 



HOT BOXES 



Preparing Waste for Packing — The oil should be 
of sufficient body to keep surfaces of the brass and jour- 
nal free from actual contact under four times the nor- 
mal load, with the highest temperatures. It should flow 
easily in ordinarily cold weather and not be thick 
and sticky even when subjected to extreme cold; for 
that would tend to keep the journal from revolving. 
To meet these requirements in service, a winter oil and 
a summer oil are furnished. 

A metal soaking vat should be made about 2 ft. wide, 
2 ft. deep, and 5 ft. long on the inside, with a good, 
tight-fitting lid. A sliding tray should be provided 
about 2 ft. long, with mesh netting on the bottom. This 
tray should be placed on angle irons which are secured 
to the sides of the vat, about 10 in. from the bottom. 
Oil-soaked waste can be deposited on this tray until the 
excess oil is drained out of it. A hasp and staple should 
be fastened on the lid so that the vat can be closed and 
locked. In the bottom of the vat, a 1-in. pipe coil 
should be placed for the purpose of heating the oil to 
the required temperature. 

In preparing new packing, the waste should be pulled 
apart and placed in the bottom of the tank, and com- 
pletely submerged in oil for at least 24 hours; after 
which it should be placed on the screen tray and allowed 
to dry 12 hours, with the vat held at a temperature of 
70 degrees. The oil remaining in the waste should equal 
four pints of oil to one pound of waste. 

Experience has taught that the use of free oil by the 
Carman is not practical because the packing in a box 
settles, becomes glazed over the top, forming a direct 
gutter for passage of oil from the front of the box to 

163 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



the dust guard, out of the end of the box to the wheel 
and to the ground. 

Worn Brass Or Cut Journals — Renewals of worn 
brasses or cut journals should be handled at the nearest 




A Simple and Effective "Wheel Holder" for Holding the Wheel 

Down to the Rail When Changing Brass. Try it. They 

Can be Made from an Old Truck Lever. 

point where a Carman or Carmen are employed, in order 
that the movement of the car may be facilitated. The 
trainmen will give a hot box temporary relief, put on 

164 



HOT BOXES 



a water cooler and try to make the point where the 
Carmen are located. 

A brass worn thin is likely to break and cause a jour- 
nal to heat ; and while there is no set thickness at which 




Using the Wheel Holder on a Tank Car Demonstrates Its Usefulness. 
Note the Ample Clearance on the Wedg-e. Jack Raised 1^2. in. 



these brasses should be renewed, common practice 
among Carmen is to remove the brass when it wears 
within ^<[ in. of the top of the collar on the journal. 



165 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Packing Journal Boxes — The first operation in pack- 
ing a journal box is twisting up a piece of packing of 
sufficient length to reach around the journal, from the 
center of one side to the center of the opposite side, by 
means of the packing iron. This plug should be placed 
in the back of the journal box, to help to exclude dirt 
and avoid the waste of oil. Small bunches of packing 
should now be placed first on one side and then on the 
other, filling the box up to the center line of the jour- 
nal, (no higher because the threads from the waste may 
be drawn in between the brass and the journal) con- 
tinuing with this operation to a point just inside of the 
inside edge of the collar. Here the packing should 
stop abruptly. 

When the packing is well up against the journal from 
the fillet at the back to inside of the collar on the end, 
up to the center line of the journal, all is done that can 
be done as far as arranging the packing is concerned. 
The rest of the packing should serve to hold the oil 
ready to be carried up to the journal, as well as to main- 
tain the wick contact by holding the packing in position. 
After the box is packed no loose strands should be 
permitted. to hang out of the box, and the face of the 
box and lid should be carefully cleaned before the lid 
is closed. 

All boxes on all cars should be carefully looked after 
at important terminals and in practice it has been 
demonstrated that the use of a packing iron has done 
more to eliminate hot boxes than simply flooding the 
boxes with oil. Even at regular packing stations it is 
not always necessary that all packing should be re- 
moved from the boxes; sufficient packing however 

166 



HOT BOXES 



should be removed from under the journal to satisfy 
the inspector of its condition and that it contains suf- 
ficient lubrication. If the packing is in good condition, 
replace with the packing iron, beginning by firmly 
placing it in the rear of box, adding any amount of 
good packing necessary. 

Journal bearings, wedges, etc., should be carefully 
inspected for breakage, or thin brass. There are tricks 
in all trades and the art of inspecting journals and 




CARE OF JOURHnL 30Y. 



Journal Boxes in this Condition Should Have the Packing Replaced 
at the Back of the Box Before Oil is Supplied. 

bearings is no exception to this rule ; proficient inspectors 
can readily tell the condition of journal by use of the 
packing hook, and by noting signs of heat on oil box, 
wedge, brass, journal or wheel plates. 

Oiling Journal Boxes — At oiling stations the in- 
spector raises the lid, locates the packing at back of 
box underneath with his packing iron, adds packing if 



167 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



necessary, and applies a small amount of free oil. Oil 
should not be added until the condition of the packing 
is ascertained by the method described; an excessive use 
of oil, as evidenced by the accumulation on the wheels 
and outside of boxes, should be avoided. Oil should 
not be poured on waste that is glazed on top, because 
this only gives temporary relief. 

Time of Packing Boxes — ^As a rule all system cars 
are repacked every six months unless for other causes 
more frequent packing is necessary, and the date is sten- 



JUH^ 



.12 CAN 
SCREW 






CAPRCITV CRCH 
SIDE Tt. GRl-UOIHS 



w 



j_i_. 



BACKING BUCKCT 

standard Size of Oil Can and Packing Bucket. 

ciled on the outside of the top arch bar. The average 
miles per day made by a freight car is small and if the 
box has been properly packed to prevent the lubricating 
oil from running out, the box should run a long time 
with very little attention. 

Tools for Packing Journal Boxes — In packing a box 
a two-compartment bucket should be used, one side used 



168 



HOT BOXES 



for new packing, the other for old packing. The tools 
needed are an oil can with a straight spout, a hook for 
removing the packing, and a packing iron to place the 



SLIDING TR(Vy,3)i.3 ' — 

h\esH scnecN bottom 



-5-0" 




J TRACK FO»»TR»^,l'MNCUE IRON 



1 fr---jn^^^zj=:A|=a.-"_-e."^:« ] 




I' STCMM COILS I 

b.i--.— — J — I— 



SOAKING VAT 




@asE 



tI 



/z- 



-z-r- 



J 



P»»^CKIK*«i IROM PrVCKVUC HOOK. 

Waste Soaking- Vat and Tools for Packing a Box. 




PACK RCMRINOCH OF BOX 
>NITM UOOSELY FORMtO POR- 
TIONS OF WRSTt RS SHOVim 



PAH"r»R».L.y PACKED BOX 



rORCC PACKING, ROLi. SHAPCO 

IN B-TV<l»TCO rORN\ *S SHOWN, 

WCU. BACK ACfklNST OVJSTCUAnO 

TO BtTTER tXCL-UOe DIRT 

AMD RVOlO WASTE. OF OIU 



RRCKING COMPUETEO TO tNO OF JOURNAUPRCK 
Fin»^l-H UNOCRNeRTH RNO MORE UtGHTUY AT SIOCS, 

The Box Shown has been Properly Packed. The Front "Plug" is 
Being Eliminated by a Great Number of Roads, as it Allows 
Better and Quicker Inspection of the Journal Box and Packing. 

packing; this iron to have a hook on it for opening the 
oil box lid. 



169 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



The Best Practice Abused — Abundant instances oc- 
cur where a car oiler is furnished prepared packing and 
does not have or take time to remove old packing and re- 
pack the box properly. He removes a small amount 
of old packing from the front of the box and adds a 
small amount of new. This simply misleads the inspector, 
because in raising the lid the box has the appearance of 
having been freshly repacked, and if the use of free oil 
is not prevented he will pour oil in the box without 
stirring the packing. 

A book might be written on hot boxes. It is a burn- 
*ng issue, figuratively and literally. No road is exempt. 
Those having the greatest success combating the evil 
are those willing to make an initial expenditure for 
equipment and maintenance in accordance with the 
importance of the car bearing. 



uo 



CHAPTER XIV. 
PRACTICAL UNITED STATES SAFETY APPLIANCES 

The study of United States Safety Appliances cov- 
ering cars and locomotives, as taken from the charts 
and specifications by the Interstate Commerce Com- 
mission, may seem to the Carman to contain a useless 
number of dimensions and working figures. If taken 
in a practical sense, however, a clearer understanding 
may be gained. It is the intention of the author to 
cover the subject in such a way that every Carman 
may understand it without study. The standard figures 
for dimensions are adhered to in all cases. 

Survey of the Appliances — "Hand brakes shall be of 
any efficient design and shall work in harmony with 
the power brake." No car is equipped with two sets 
of brakes, therefore the hand brake must work in 
harmony with the air brake. 

"The brake shaft should be not less than l}i inches 
in diameter." An inch and a quarter was found to be 
the smallest practical dimension which would give 
sufficient power to set the brake and allow for safety. 
On account of the uncertainty of true welding, the 
M. C. B. Association ruled against welding of the 
safety appliance parts. 

A 15-inch brake wheel of wrought iron, malleable iron 
or steel was found to be of such size that sufficient lev- 
erage could be obtained by the average man to set the 
brake. 

The location of the brake wheel is such that it will 

171 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



not interfere with the efficiency of either the running 
boards, or end ladder. 

A clearance of 4 inches around the brake wheel 
allows a man effective operation of the brake with 
safety and efficiency. 

One-half inch bolts and rivets used almost exclu- 
sively in Safety Appliances, will withstand the maxi- 
mum strain expected in ordinary wear and tear of 
service and allow a margin for safety. 

The stirrup form of brake shaft rest or step, being 
"U" shaped has the highest degree of efficiency, while 
setting the brake and guards against the brake chain 
becoming tangled. 

The square fit at the top of the brake mast reduces 
the likelihood of the wheel becoming loose. The taper 
fit of two inches in twelve, is one commonly used in 
mechanical work. It keeps the wheel from sliding 
down on the brake mast. 

Running boards are given a width that will allow a 
man to walk on them without the necessity of stepping 
ofif on the roof if he becomes momentarily unbalanced. 
The latitudinal one is wider as it is placed near the end 
of the car, where one may become more afi^ected by 
the height, and also to cover extreme widths allowed 
for variations in the location of side ladders. 

Ladder treads are spaced at 19 inches because that 
is the height of the average man's foot from the floor 
when his knee forms a right angle. A ladder tread 16" 
long gives sufficient room to conveniently place both 
feet on it without interference or extra precaution. 

The ladders are spaced 8 inches from end or side of 
car to inside of ladder, because that is the maximum 
distance to conveniently reach from one to the othei. 

172 



U. S. SA FETY APPLIANCES 

The end and side ladder rounds coinciding produce 
safety, because you can depend upon where to step 
when passing from one to the other. 

A two-inch clearance to hand holds is given, because 
the length from the second joint of the middle finger 
of a man's hand is approximately one and one-half to 
one and three quarters inches. The other quarter inch 
is allowed as a margin of safety and allows a depth 
great enough to secure a good hold 

Foot guards are applied to keep the feet from slip- 
ping off the rounds of the ladders, especially at lower 
end and side ladder locations. 

The end clearance of 12 inches allows a minimum 
clearance of 24 inches for a man to work in, or in 
climbing an end ladder between two cars should he be 
forced to go between them. 

Roof hand holds are spaced between 8 inches and 15 
inches, because the average man's forearm with fist 
doubled up is 15 inches in length. Eight inches is the 
more convenient distance for a safe application of the 
grab iron or hand hold. 

The location of side and uDDer end hand holds is 
placed at "not less than 24 inches, nor more than 30 
makes it at the average height of a man's head and is 
inches above the center line of coupler," because tha* 
convenient for him to reach without losing his bearing. 
The lower end hand holds are located so as to be 
easily accessible should a man be forced to use them 
while between cars. The additional end hand hold used 
with outside end sill, is located at such a height as to 
De conveniently used in passing between two coupled 
cars. 

Sill steps are placed between 22 and 24 inches above 

173 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



the top of the rail, as the average man can step from 
that location to the ground or vice versa without over- 
balancing and losing his bearing, even while cars are 
in motion. 

Below are given the safety requirements for the vari- 
ous appliances, with explanations of various details. 

Hand Brakes — Each car shall be equipped v^ith an 
efficient hand brake, which must work in harmony with 
the air brake on the car. No special design is required, 
but it must provide the same degree of safety as de- 
manded by these rules. 

Brake Shaft — Brake shafts must be made of wrought 
iron or steel not less than IJ^ ins. diameter without a 
weld and provided with a drum and trunnion. This drum 
must not be less than 1^ ins. diameter and the trunnion 
not less than ^ ins. diameter. The drum and trunnion 
are located at the lower end of the brake shaft. The 
trunnion must extend through and below the brake 
mast rest and be held in position by means of a suit- 
able ring or cotter. 

The upper end of the shaft is squared not less than ]4, 
ins. across for insertion of the brake wheel. The squared 
portion is tapered about 2 in 12 ins. A threaded portion 
of the shaft extends above the wheel for the provision 
of a ^ in. nut for holding wheel in place. This nut must 
be riveted over or held in place by means of a lock nut 
or cotter key. 

Brake Chain — Brake chains must be made of iron or 
steel of stock not less than 3/^, -in. diameter and the rod 
link must not be less than 7/16-in. diameter. It must 
be secured to the brake shaft drum by means of a hexa- 
gon or square head bolt, not less than %-in. in size, the 
head of which must be securely riveted over. 

174 



U. S. SAFETY APPLIANCES 

Brake Shaft Rest — The brake shaft rest must be of 
such design that will not permit the chain to drop under 
the brake shaft. The *'U" shape is preferable. 

Brake Step Board — If a brake shaft board is used 
it should be 28 ins. in length, and its outside edge must 
not be less than 8 ins. from the face of the car and not 
less than 4 ins. from a vertical plane parallel with the 
end of car. Two metal braces must be used tO' support 
it and these shall not have a section less than ^'^xl^ ins. 

Brake Ratchet Wheel — The ratchet v^heel shall not 
be less than 5^ ins. in diameter and have not less than 
14 teeth. It must be secured to the brake shaft by a 
key or square fit. If a square fit is used it must not be 
less than 1 5/16 ins. square. Means must be provided 
to prevent the ratchet wheel from raising on the shaft. 

Brake Shaft Support — There should be an extra 
brake shaft support applied if the distance between the 
brake wheel and ratchet wheel exceeds 36 ins. 

Brake Pawl — The brake pawl shall be pivoted upon 
a bolt or rivet not less than ^-in. diameter, or upon a 
trunnion. If a trunnion is used, it must be fastened 
by not less than a %-in. bolt or rivet. The brake pawl 
or shaft must be connected by a rigid metal connection. 

Brake Wheel — The brake wheel shall be made of 
malleable iron, wrought iron or steel and may be flat or 
dished. Its diameter must not be less than 15 ins. It 
shall be fastened to the brake shaft by a square, taper 
fit hole, about 2 in 12 ins. There must be not less than 
4 ins. clearance around the rim of the brake wheel and 
it must not be less than 4 inches from a vertical plane 
drawn through the inside face of knuckle when closed, 
with coupler horn against the buffer block and parallel 
with end of car. 

175 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Location of Brake Shaft on Different Types of Cars 

— On box and other house cars, brake shafts must be 
on end of car and to the left of and not less than 17 ins. 
nor more than 22 ins. from center. 

On drop end low side gondolas, drop end high side 
gondolas, all tank cars and caboose cars without plat- 
forms ; brake shafts must be on end of car, left of cen- 
ter, fkl 

On flat cars brake shaft must be on end of car, to 
the left of the center, or on side of car not more than 
36 ins. from right hand end. 

On caboose cars with end platforms, brake staffs must 
be on platforms to the left of center. 

Operating or Uncoupling Levers — There is no stand- 
ard design of operating levers, the single or double 
design may be used without weld. There must be one 
at each end of the car. If a single lever is used it 
must be at the left side of end of car. 

Levers of the single design must not be more than 12 
ins. from the side of the car, and those of other types, 
not more than 6 ins. from the side of the car. The 
center lift arms must not be less than 7 ins. in length. 
The center eye at the end of lift arm must not extend 
beyond the center of the eye of knuckle lock more than 
3^ ins. when the horn of coupler is against the buffer 
block or end sill (see plate "B".) 

The handles of the operating levers must extend suf- 
ficiently beyond the end sill to give a minimum clearance 
of 2 ins. around the handle, the minimum drop must 
be 12 ins. and the maximum 15 ins. The rocking or push- 
down type requires not less than 18 ins. from top of 
rail when the lock is in release position. A suitable stop 

176 



U. S. SAFETY APPLIANCES 

is provided to prevent the inside arm from flying up in 
case of breakage. 

All uncoupling levers for the different classes of cars 
are the same with the exception of those for tank cars 
without end sills. On these cars the minimum length 
must be 42 ins. measured from center line of end of 
car to handle of lever. These should not be more than 
30 ins. above the center line of coupler. 

Sill Steps — There must be four sill steps on each car, 
to be made of \vrought iron or steel Avithout weld, with 
a minimum cross sectional area of ^xl^/o ins. or equiv- 
alent, minimum clear depth of not less than 8 ins. and 
tread not less than 8 ins. If steps exceed 21 ins. in depth 
an additional tread must be provided. 

Steps are to be fastened to the car by not less than 
%-in. bolts with nuts to the outside (where possible) 
and riveted over, or not less than %-in. rivets. The steps 
must be located one near the end on each side of the car 
not more than 18 ins. from end of car to center of tread 
of still step. The outside edge of tread must not be more 
than 4 ins. inside of face of side of car, and tread must 
be not more than 24 ins. from top of rail. 

These specifications apply to all classes of cars with 
the exception of tank cars without side sills, and tank cars 
with short end sills and end platforms. On these cars 
one step must be located near each end on each side un- 
der side hand holds. Tank cars without end sills come 
under another ruling as follows : These cars must have 
nne step near each end on each side, flush with outside 
edge of running board, as near end of car as is prac- 
ticable. 

If these steps exceed 18 ins. in depth they must have 

177 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



an additional tread and be laterally braced. If tanks on 
tank cars without end sills have high running boards 
making ladders necessary, still steps must meet ladder 
requirements. 

Caboo'se cars without platforms and having side doors 
must have two steps, one on each side of car, minimum 
length 5 ft. minimum width 6 ins., minimum height of 
back stop, 3 ins., maximum height from top of rail to 
top of thread, 24 ins. They must be supported by two 
iron brackets having a minimum cross sectional area 
J^x3 ins. or equivalent each O'f which must be securely 
fastened to car by iiot less than ^-in. bolts. 

Caboose Platform Steps — Safe and suitable box steps 
must be provided at each corner of caboose. Lower tread 
of step must not be more than 24- ins. above top of rail. 

Ladders — Ladders must be made of iron, steel or 
wood. When iron or steel are used the diameter of 
threads must be not less than 5^ -in. and wooden treads 
must be not less than l%x2 ins. of hard wood. Ladder 
treads also act as hand holds, and should be secured by 
not less than i/2-in. bolts with nuts outside (where pos- 
sible), bolts riveted over, with i/o-in. rivets, ^-in. 
bolts may be used on wooden' ladders in applying 
treads where same are gained into stiles. The proper 
clear length of treads is not less than 14 ins. on the 
ends of cars, nor less than 16 ins. on sides. 

Tank cars without side sills and tank cars with short 
side sills must have ladder treads not less than 10 ins. 
and clearance on all ladder treads must be not less than 
2 ins. The bottom tread must be equipped on inside end 
with foot guards not less than 2 ins. high when ladders 
are used which are not equipped with stiles, or with 
stiles extending less than 2 ins. from face of car. 

178 



U. S. SAFETY APPLIANCES 

Treads of ladders must be spaced 19 ins. apart, but 
a variation of 2 ins. is allowed from top tread of sill 
step to the bottom tread of side ladders, and 21 ins. 
is allowed from top tread of sill step tO' the bottom tread 
of side ladders. 

Not less than 12 nor more than 18 ins. from the eaves 
is allowed for the top tread of ladders on box or other 
house cars, and the top tread of ladders on gondola cars 
must not be more than 4 ins. from the top of car. End 
ladders are spaced the same as the treads of side ladders 
but a variation of 2 ins. is allowed to comply with the 
car's construction. 

When the construction of the car will not permit the 
application of tread of end ladder to coincide with tread 
of side ladder, the bottom: tread of end ladder must co- 
incide with second tread from bottom of side ladder. 

On bo'X and other house cars, hopper cars, and high 
side gondolas with fixed ends ladders must be located 
not more than 8 ins. from right hand end of face of 
car, or not more than 8 ins. from left hand side of end 
of car. On drop end high side gondolas, side ladders 
must be located the same as on box or other house cars 
(no end ladders being required). 

On tank cars without side sills and tank cars with 
short side sills and end platforms, two ladders are re- 
quired when such cars have continuous running boards, 
if so located as to make ladders necessary. 

When only two ladders are necessary, one ladder 
should be located at the right hand end of each car. On 
cars with side running boards there must be a ladder 
at the end of each running board. On caboose cars with 
platforms, a ladder is required at each end but che di- 
mensions are not specified. With caboose cars v/ithout 

179 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



platforms, four ladders are required the same as on box 
and other house cars. Caboose cars without platforms, 
having side doors, must have ladders placed not more 
than 8 ins. from door. 

Fixed- end low-side gondolas, drop-end low -side gon- 
dolas, flat cars, tank cars with side platforms and tank 
cars without end sills do not require ladders. (If these 
tank cars have high running boards, making ladders nec- 
essary, sill steps must meet ladder requirements.) 

Conference Ruling on Automobile Cars with Swing- 
ing End Doors — These cars may come under the head 
of cars of special construction, and the end ladders 
must be placed as nearly as possible to designated 
location. 

Ladders, Spacing of Treads — The spacing of top 
ladder treads must be taken from eave of roof at side 
of car, Avhether latitudinal running board is used or 
not. 

Ladders and hand holds need not be applied to swing- 
ing side doors of ballast and gondola cars. Ladders 
must be placed on such cars as prescribed for high-side 
gondolas and hopper cars, with sill step under ladder 
or as near under ladder as car construction will permit. 
Ends and sides of cars must be equipped with hand 
holds, in the same manner as flat cars. 

End Hand Holds (Horizontal) — Hand holds must 
not be made of material smaller than 9s-hi. diameter, of 
wrought iron or steel without weld. Their proper clear 
length is 16 ins. except that where 16-in. hand holds are 
impossible 14-in. ones may be used. The clearance for 
these hand holds is 2 ins. There must be eight or more 
such hand holds on certain classes of cars (4 each end) 
and four on other classes (2 each end). Those cars 

180 



U. S. SAFETY APPLIANCES 

requiring eight horizontal end hand holds are : Box and 
other house cars, hopper cars, high-side gondolas with 
fixed ends, and low-side hopper cars. 

Upper hand holds must be located not less than 2-i ins. 
nor more than 30 ins. above center line of coupler, where 
car permits, except when ladder tread acts as a hand 
hold. These hand holds must be placed not more than 
8 inches from the side of the car. The other four hand 
holds are located as follows : On face of end sills not 
more than 16 ins. from side of car, projecting either 
outward or downward. 

Drop-end, high-side and low-side gondolas, flat cars, 
tank cars with side platform and caboose cars with plat- 
forms, require but four horizontal end hand holds. Tank 
cars without end sills also require but four horizontal 
end hand holds. They must be located on the running 
board, one near each side on each end of the car, or 
on end of tank not more than 30 ins. above center line 
of coupler, not more than 2 ins. from edge of running 
boards, and projecting outward and downward. On ca- 
boose cars with platforms they must be located in a 
horizontal position, one near each side on each end of 
car on face of platform and silt, clearance of outer end 
of hand hold to be not more than 16 ins. from end of 
platform end sill. Cars having platform end sills of 6 
ins. or more in width, measured from end post or sid- 
ing and extending full width of car, must have addi- 
tional horizontal hand holds provided. They should be 
24 ins. long and should be located near the center of 
the car, not less than 30 ins, nor more than 60 ins. 
above platform end sill. On caboose cars without end 
platforms they must be the same as specified for box 
and other house cars. 

181 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Tank cars with side platforms, tank cars without side 
sills, and tank cars with short side sills and end plat- 
forms, require tank head hand holds. Two are required 
if safety railing does not run around the end of tank. 
When used they must be located on each head of tank, 
not less than 30 ins. nor more than 60 ins. above plat- 
form on running board, and they must be securely 
fastened not less than 6 ins. from outer diameter of the 
tank. 

End Hand Holds (Vertical) — Cars having platform 
end sills must be provided with vertical end hand holds. 
Two must be used, not less than 5^-ins. in diameter with 
tread not less than 18 ins. without weld — and must have 
2 ins. clearance. 

These hand holds must be located opposite ladders not 
more than 8 ins. from the side of car, and not less than 
24 ins. or more than 30 ins. above the center line of 
coupler ; measured from bottom end of hand hold. They 
must be secured by bolts not less than >4-in. in diameter 
with nuts outside (if possible), bolts riveted over, or 
i/o-in. rivets. 

Conference Ruling — The law makes no distinction 
between passenger and freight cars; end hand holds 
must, therefore, be placed on the e'nds of passenger 
cars and cabooses. 

Side Hand Holds (Horizontal)— Side hand holds 
must be not less than s/^ in. diameter, of wrought iron 
or steel without weld.l Four are required. The tread 
must be not less than 16 ins. long with a clearance of 
not less than 2 ins. They m.ust be located not more than 
8 ins. from the end of the car and not more than 30 ins. 
nor less than 24 ins. above the center line of coupler 
where car will permit. Some fixed-end and drop-end 

182 



U. S. SAFETY APPLIANCES 

lo'W-side gondolas, and low-side hopper cars are so con- 
structed as not to permit location of side hand holds as 
specified. Under such circumstances the hand holds 
must be securely fastened with not less than y^-'m. 
bolts with nuts outside (if possible) bolts riveted over 
or with not less than y^-in. rivets. Ladder treads act 
as hand holds. 

The location of horizontal side hand holds is not 
the same on all classes of cars. 

Flat cars, tank cars with side platform, tank cars 
without side sills, and tank cars with short side sills 
and end platforms, have horizontal hand holds not more 
than 12 ins. from end of car ; one near each end on face 
of each side sill. The four hand holds on tank cars with- 
out end sills, are located one near each side on each end 
of car on running board over sill step. They should be 
placed not more than 2 ins. back from outside edge of 
running board, projecting outward and downward. When 
these hand holds are more than 18 ins. from end of car, 
an additional hand hold must be placed near each end 
on each side, not more than 30-ins. above center line of 
coupler. The outer end of hand hold should be not 
more than 12 ins. from end of the car. 

On caboose cars with platforms, side ha'nd holds 
should be located as follows : One near each end on 
each side of car from a point not less than 30 ins. above 
platform to a point not more than 8 ins. from bottom 
of car. Top end of hand hold must not be more than 8 
ins. from outside face of end sheathing. Their mini- 
mum clear length should be 36 ins. and minimum clear- 
ance 2 ins. On caboose cars without platforms there 
should be one near each end on each side of car, not 
less than 24 nor more than 30 ins. above center line of 

183 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



coupler. Clearance of outer end of hand hold must not 
be more than 8 ins. from end of car. 

Side Hand Holds (Vertical) — These hand holds are 
used on all tank cars if equipped with safety railings. 
There are four of them, one over each sill step, secured 
to tank or tank band. 

Conference Ruling — Ladders and hand holds need 
not be applied to swinging side doors of gondolas and 
ballast cars. A side vertical hand hold must be placed 
on corner post of such cars, as nearly as possible over 
sill step. 

Vertical side hand holds on ballast cars must be ap- 
plied to the outside face of the corner post, i. e., the 
faces which are parallel to the sides of the car. 

Side Door Hand Holds — Caboose cars without plat- 
forms require these hand holds. They consist of two 
curved and two straight ones. The curved hand hold is 
located from a point at side of each door opposite lad- 
der, not less than 36 ins. above bottom of car, curving 
away from door downward to a point not more than 6 
ins. above bottom of car. They must be not less than 
•)^-ins. diameter of wrought iron or steel, with a mini- 
mum clearance of 2 ins., and must be secured the same as 
ether hand holds. 

Platform Hand Holds — Caboose cars with platforms 
require four of these hand holds. One right angle hand 
hold should be located on each side of each end extend- 
ing horizontally from door post to corner of car at ap- 
proximate height of platform rail, then downward to 
within 12 ins. of bottom of car. They must be made of 
wrought iron or steel with a diameter of not less than 
-7^ -ins. and have 2 in. clearance. Hand holds shall be 
securely fastened with bolts, screws or rivets. 

184 



U. S. SAFETY APPLIANCES 

Roof Hand Hold — There must be a roof hand hold 
over each ladder. They must be made of wrought iron 
or steel with a diameter not less than ^-ins. The tread 
must measure not less than 16 ins. with a minimum clear- 
ance of 2 ins. They must be held in the usual way as 
specified with other holds. These holds must be located 
as follows : One parallel to tread of each ladder not less 
than 8 ins. nor more than 15 ins. from edge of roof. 

On refrigerator cars where ice hatches are in the way 
the location may be nearer the edge of the roof. On 
caboose cars where stiles of ladder extend 12 ins. or 
more above roof, no other roof hand holds are required. 

One right angle hand hold may take the place of 
two adjacent specified roof hand holds, provided the 
dimensions and locations coincide. (M. C. B. Rules re- 
quire them to be without weld). Right angle hand holds 
must have an extra leg securely fastened to car at point 
of angle. 

Cupola Hand Holds — Cupola hand holds should num- 
ber one or more and should be located as follows : One 
continuous hand hold extending around top of cupola 
not more than 3 ins. from edge of cupola roof, or four 
right angle hand holds, one at each corner not less than 
16 inches in clear length from point of angle, may take 
the place of the one continuous hand hold specified in 
locations coincide. 

Running Boards — Running boards must be made of 
wood, running full length of car in center of roof, and 
securely fastened. On caboose cars with cupola, longi- 
tudinal running boards must extend from cupola to ends 
of roof. The length and width of running boards may 
be made up of a number of pieces securely fastened to 

185 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



saddle blocks with bolts or screws, but not to be cut off 
or hinged at any one point. 

With outside metal roofs, two latitudional exten- 
sions m-ust be made from longitudional running boards 
to ladder location. The width of these boards must 
be not less than 18 ins. and latitudional extensions 
not less than 24 ins. wide. 
Tank cars without side sills, tank cars with short side 
sills and end platforms, and tank cars without end sills 
are excepted. The proper width of running boards on 
the above cars is 10 ins. on side and 6 ins. on end. Re- 
frigerator cars, on account of ice hatches, do not require 
latitudinal extensions. 

End clearances of running boards are specified as fol- 
lows : The ends must be not less than 6 ins. nor more 
than 10 ins. from a vertical plane parallel with end of 
car. Tank cars without side sills, tank cars with short 
side sills and end platforms, and tank cars without end 
sills are exceptions. The end clearance for these cars 
must be not less than 6 ins. The measurement is taken 
from a line passing through the inside face of knuckle 
when closed, with coupler horn against buffer block, end 
sill or back stop. 

If the running boards extend more than four inches 
from edge of roof, they must be supported by substan- 
tial metal braces. Usually there are two braces, one on 
each corner of the extension, fastened to the car and to 
the running board with not less than ^-in. bolts. 

Tank cars without side sills, tank cars with short side 
sills and end platforms, and tank cars without end sills, 
must be equipped with running boards. One continuous 
running board around sides and ends, or two boards 
running full length of tank, one on each side must be 

186 



U. S. SAFETY APPLIANCES 

used. With tank cars having end platforms extending 
to bolsters, the running boards mUst extend from center 
to center of bolsters, one on each side. ' 

When running boards are applied below the center of 
tank, the outside edge of such running boards must ex- 
tend not less than 7 inches below bulge of tank, and they 
must be securely fastened to tank or tank bands. 

Safety Railings — One safety railing continuous around 
sides and ends of tank, or two running full length of 
tank must be used. On tank cars with side platforms, 
not less than ^-in. iron must be used. On tank cars 
without side sills, and tank cars with short side sills and 
end platforms, and tank cars without end sills, not less 
than /s-in. wrought iron or steel must be used, with a 
clearance of 2^ ins. Railings must be not less than 30 
ins. nor more than 60 ins. above running board. They 
must be securely fastened to tank, tank bands or posts, 
and secured against end shifting. 

End Ladder Clearance — No part of the car above end 
sills, within 30 ins. from the side of the car, may ex- 
tend (or stick out) to within 12 ins. of a vertical plane 
parallel with end of car. The measurement is taken from 
a line passing through the inside face of knuckle when 
closed, with coupler horn against buffer block or end 
sill. No other part of end of car, or fixtures on same 
above end sills other than exceptions noted, may extend 
beyond the outer face of buffer block. 

Buffer block, brake shaft, brake step, brake wheel, 
running boards or uncoupling lever and air hose, are not 
to be regarded as fixtures as that word is used in that 
part of the order relating to "End Ladder Clearance." 

High-side gondolas and high-side hopper cars are 
those with sides which extended more than 36 ins. above 

187 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



the floor of the car and low side hoppers and gondolas 
are those with sides which extend 36 ins. or less above 
the floor of the car. 



!88 



CHAPTER XV 
SAFETY FIRST 

There has been so much said regarding the Safety 
First movement and so many instructions have been 
given the Carman, that further mention of this sub- 
ject while important, may seem almost out of place in 
this book. 

However, there is one feature which should not be 
overlooked and that is that Safety First talk will fait 
to get results if, year in and year out, unimproved and 
unreliable appliances and tools are given the carman 
for his work. This refers especially to appliances whicli 
are used daily and which are being bought constantly. 

Right here the Carman can help the situation by first 
studying and then recommending those appliances and 
tools which mean Safety First in the carman's work. 

Take the question of car jacks. Safety First falls on 
deaf ears if the Carman has new jacks furnished him 
continually which do not operate safely. 

Safety First talk won't accomplish much if combined 
vdth Safety Last actions. But it is up to the Carman 
to register his protest when anything is furnished him 
which is not safe, because he is the man using it and he 
knows. The Carman must remember that the manage- 
ment cannot always be fully informed on the safety or 
effectiveness of everything which they buy. They should 
be glad to have any information on the kind of service 
given by appliances and tools. The Carman can help by 
recommending that which gives safe service, and by rc- 

189 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



porting instances of appliances which are a menance to 
safety. 

It is not the Carman's duty to specify the strength 
of materials, sizes, etc., that should be used in various 
appliances ; but he can report when certain appliances do 
not seem to be strong enough. 

By co-operation with the proper officials and by mak- 
ing his objections to unsafe tools .and appliances, the 
Carman can help a great deal in making conditions 
safer for the Carman and thus preventing injuries. 

Car repairing and inspecting have always been classed 
among the hazardous occupations in railroading, yet 
many Carmen have been fortunate in not having any 
serious accidents. 

A great number have been injured, however, and 
sometimes through their own carelessness or that of 
others; so that in addition to recommending and per- 
sisting in the demand for safe tools, etc., the Carman 
should acquire the habit of using safe methods instead 
of unsafe ones. 

Preventable accidents can be classified as follows : 

1. Thoie due to the use of unsafe tools. 

2. Those due to the improper use of tools. 

3. Those due to not wearing goggles when doing work 

that is hazardous tO' the eyes. 

4. Those due to not using guards on machinery. 

5. Those due to the improper handling of materials. 
One kind of accident that stands out strongly enough 

to be mentioned in the list of preventable accidents, is 
the improper handling or piling of material. A pretty 
safe rule to follow in a case of this kind is to try and 
keep everything in such shape that you can walk around 

190 



SAFETY FIRST 



the place in the dark without being in danger of getting 
hurt. It is true that it is not always possible to handle 
your material in so careful a manner, but if this idea 
is kept uppermost and lived up to as far as possible, 
there will be few accidents on this account in daylight. 

One thing to guard against, after everything has been 
done in the way of making the machinery and tools safe, 
is to keep a watch and check on the unsafe or careless 
man, for there will always be some of this type and 
those who are reckless of their own and others safety. 

In driving an automobile they say the only safe way 
is to be prepared for the other man, whether he be a 
pedestrian, a team driver or an automobilist, to do the 
wrong thing. In other words, figure that the other man 
is not to be depended upon and then you will probably 
be safe. Make your moves for your own safety, in-so-far 
as possible, in no way dependent upon the work or ac- 
tion of the other man. 

In raising heavy materials or appliances this is not 
always possible. There are some cases where several 
men must do the lifting together, and where misunder- 
standing or the failure of one man might mean an ac- 
cident. In a case of this kind, it is better to waste a 
little time giving full instructions and being sure that 
every man understands; because trying to save minutes 
may mean losing limbs. 

The Carman must protect himself in every possible 
way from the carelessness or accidents of his fellow em- 
ployes and against the movements of trains. This means 
always using the blue flag or the blue light as the case 
may be, and being sure that they are placed in such a 
position that thev will be seen and there will be no 
excuse for their being overrun. 

191 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



The safe Carman will always use horses or trestles 
of adequate strength under the cars after they are jacked 
up, even though he may have that type of car jack which 
he knows to be absolutely safe. It might be that the 
foundation under the jack would give way or the car be 
accidentally moved far enough to tip off the jack. 

Nails are important enough to require mention. There 
were over 10,000 persons injured in the United States 
in a year by nails protuding from planks which were left 
carlesslv about. Take time to turn down all the nails you 
see sticking up. 

This chapter is not Intended to cover the Safety First 
movement in detail but only to mention a few things, 
and possibly to bring a few ideas, which had not been 
touched upon or emphasized before ; chiefly among which 
is the necessity for the consideration of Safety First in 
all appliances and tools which are being purchased con- 
stantly, as well as the education of the Carman to the 
Safety First attitude. 



192 



CHAPTER XVI. 
FIRST AID TO THE INJURED. 

Its Origin — The origin of first aid dates back to 
primitive surgery and the early study of medicine. 
The human instinct always asserts itself by attempt- 
ing to relieve pain and suffering. As medical science 
and surgery developed, it becomes a known fact 
among doctors and surgeons that by the prompt ap- 
plication of medical skill, many serious deformities and 
in some cases the life of the injured person can be 
saved. 

Its Meaning^ — First aid means giving immediate 
medical attendance to the injured, such as will tem- 
porarily relieve the suffering until proper and com- 
plete dressing can be made by a competent physician 
or surgeon. 

Its Recognition — Railroad work has always been re- 
garded as a hazardous occupation and many persons 
have been injured. Large railroad yards are often iso- 
lated and in such cases medical attendance is seriously 
delayed. Delays are costly to railroad companies no 
matter where or in what department; and many cases 
of serious injury have resulted in prolonged convales- 
cence or death due to the weakened condition of the in- 
jured because of delayed medical attendance. Rail- 
road companies through the efforts of their physicians and 
surgeons, recognized the fact that if hemorrhages could 
be stopped, broken legs splinted and bound temporarily, 
and the shock reduced by those in immediate attend- 
ance, a greater portion of those injured would entirely 

193 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



recover. Plainly speaking, it meant money to the com- 
pany. 

Organization — With this end in view, the chief sur- 
geons and physicians were appointed as instructors to 
teach classes at the various repair tracks, shops and round 
houses. The classes are usually composed of two men 
from each department and include office forces. These 
classes meet once or twice a month and on the company's 
time and property. A clean, well lighted and ventilated 
room is set aside for the classes and is equipped as a 
dressing station, including suitable stretchers, crutches, 
canes, bandages, splints, absorbent cotton, adhesive tape, 
proper and sanitary washing facilities and a supply of 
liniment, medicated soap, carbolated oil and alcohol. 

A little book such as can be carried in the pocket 
conveniently, containing description and analysis of the 
bone structure of the body, charts showing the principal 
blood courses and their initial pressure points of con- 
tact by which bleeding may be stopped, illustrations and 
comments upon the method of treatment for various 
injuries is given each one of the class. A certain por- 
tion is chosen for each week or two weeks' study. 

Classes — The time, usually one hour, is divided be- 
tween a discussion of the subject, explanation of medical 
terms by the physician or leader in charge and demon- 
stration of the different methods of treatment for in- 
juries, using one member of the class as a subject. 

The others apply bandages, splints and dressing for the 
injury. In this way, the work is made practical, and 
close watch is kept by the teacher and members of the 
class to see that all points are covered in detail. The 
careful handling to and from the stretcher is practiced, 
making the work doubly interesting. 

194 



CHAPTER XVII. 
PASSENGER CAR EMERGENCY REPAIRS. 

Upon the passenger car depends the safe and rapid 
transportation of human life and property. The in- 
spection, cleaning, repairs and general handling of such 
equipment in service at terminals, is a part of the 
Carman's work, and upon his good judgment and 
familiarity with the modern passenger car, depend the 
continued safe service of such equipment. 

Carmen employed in the freight yards or on repair 
tracks are called upon, in an emergency, to relieve those 
who handle passenger trains. For this reason, mention 
is made of the passenger car without attempting to go 
into details on the subject. Terminal inspection and 
repairs are necessarily more thorough and complete than 
running inspection and emergency repairs. The limited 
time of station stops or change of engines at the inter- 
mediate points, allows for only a rapid inspection for 
running defects about as follows : Safety appliances, 
diaphragms, air and steam hose, draft gear, wheels, 
truck frames and hangers, brake beams and connec- 
tions, broken brake hangers, missing brake shoes, 
dynamo belts, loose and broken frame bolts and hot 
journals. 

The safety appliances include couplers, operating 
levers, hand holds, coach platform steps and sill steps 
on cars without end platforms. 

Air and steam hose are inspected for leaks and de- 
fective parts, care benig taken to see that angle cocks 

195 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



and steam valves are wide open between all cars and 
the engine. Both the train line and signal line must 
be closed at the rear end. If steam heat is being used, 
the rear steam valve on the last car must be left slightly 
open to allow condensation to escape. 

The draft gear is inspected for broken bolts, springs, 
followers, pockets and loose and missing lug straps. • 

Wheels are inspected for defective flanges, flat spots, 
loose on axle, broken retaining ring bolts and broken 
tires. At the same time all journal boxes are inspected 
by placing the hand on the box, preferably on the side 
near the top, to ascertain whether or not there is more 
than ordinary friction heat present. 

The truck frames are inspected as the inspector walks 
along. He should look carefully for broken truck 
hangers and hanger pins, broken brake hangers and 
pins, and also for defective brake beams. Safety 
hangers cannot be readily seen from the outside on 
some trucks, and the inspector must look carefully to 
ascertain whether or not they are in place. (This refers 
to the inside pair of wheels on a three wheel truck.) 

Passenger car truss rods frequently require attention 
and there are so many other appliances under the pas- 
senger car that there is little room to work in to turn the 
buckles. The ratchet type of truss rod wrench shown 
herewith obviates the removal of gas tanks, battery boxes 
and other equipment usually found necessary before the 
buckle can be turned. With this wrench, the turnbuckle 
can be turned completely around with only a 6-inch space 
to turn the wrench. 

The butt end for the buckle has a milled or roughened 
surface and the ratchet may be set at different angles as 

196 



PASSENGER CAR EMERGENCY REPAIRS _ 

the buckle is turned around. The handle is about four 
feet in length. 

Dynamo belts may break and be lost while the car is 
in motion. These must be renewed at points where 
such replacement will not seriously delay the train, and 



/^ILLtD 

LDGE 




This Section of Wrench Can Be Made Interchangeable for 
All Size Truss Rods. 

where men and material are on hand to make repairs. 
This is generally at a terminal where a change of 
engines is made. 

Loose or broken truck frame bolts should be tightened 
or renewed, where such defects endanger the safety 
of the car. Very few such defects are found in the 
latest types of passenger trucks as the frames are 
cast in a solid piece. Pedestal bolts will be found to be 
the most liable to these defects, on account of the 
vibration of the trucks. 

Dynamo body suspension frame bolts and nuts should 
be watched carefully and immediate attention given if 
found loose. 

One railroad has a device for emergency repairs which 
has proved very useful at passenger terminals. It is 

197 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



known as a station supply truck and is fitted with ma- 
terial for quick repairs. Previous to the use of this truck 
a repairman had tO' go to the tool shed for the neces- 
sary material. Now the truck is rolled up beside the 
car and the tools are within easy reach. 

The truck is 5 ft. 2 ins. long, 3 ft. 8 ins. high and 14 
ins. wide, with three horizontal doors on each side ex- 
tending the full length of the truck. The arrangement 
was made as narrow and compact as possible so that it 
might readily pass between cars. The interior is parti- 
tioned for holding standard supplies. The body is mount- 
ed on two wheels about 30 ins. in diameter and they are 
so located as to nearly balance the truck. At the end 
with the rigid handle there is a support to stand the 
truck in a horizontal position when at rest. Supplies are 
as follows: 

2 Journal-box jacks. 

2 Journal-box jack boards. 

2 Journal-box jack levers (pinch bars). 

2 Packing hooks. 

2 Packing irons. , 

1 Pail prepared packing. 

1 Empty packing pail. 
6 Brake-shoe keys. 

2 Brake connecting pins 1% ins. 

2 Brake connecting pins 1^ ins. 

1 Knuckle pin, cotter and washer. 
1 Bearing wedge 5J^xlO ins. 
1 Bearing wedge 5 x9 ins. 
1 Bearing wedge 4^x8 ins. 
12 Standard nuts each: 7^ ins., H ins., ^ ins. 

3 Brake shoes. 

Springs Cotters (various sizes). 
1 Brass 5^^x10 ins. 
1 Brass 5 x9 ins. 

1 Brass 4^x8 ins. ^ ' 

2 Brake connecting pins, l}i ins. 

12 Locking nuts each, % ins., % ins., ^ ins. 
1 Steam and air hose wrench. 
1 12 in. pipe wrench. 

198 



PASSENGER CAR EMERGENCY REPAIRS 



2 1% in. train pipe nipples and couplings. 

3 Each, ^ in. and 1 in. train-pipe nipples and couplings. 
3 Combination air and signal hose couplings. 

1 Small roll % in. wire. 
6 Air brake defect cards. 
1 Signal hose. 
3 Air hose. 

3 Steam hose. 

1 % in. angle cock. 

6 Steam-hose gaskets. 

6 Air-hose gaskets. 

1 Cold chisel. 

1 Hammer. 

1 Bracket for blue flag marker. 

1 Bracket for blue lantern. 

1 Screw driver. 

1 Gallon can of car oil. 

6 Wooden oil box lids (different sizes). 

6 Pieces of second-hand carpet (for box covers). 

4 Bolts, ^^ in. by 6 ins., 3-in. thread with nut and washer 
and locking nut. 

12 Tee-head pedestal tie-strap bolts with nuts and washers. 
1 Coupler tail pin complete. 
1 Ohio knuckle lock complete. 
1 Uncoupling lever clevis complete. 
1 Brake chain clevis complete. 

1 Monkey wrench. 

2 White pine reservoir drain plugs. 

Heating Systems. 
The following information in the form of questions 
and answers regarding the inspection and care of steam 
heat apparatus should prove valuable. 

O. How many systems of car heating are in general 
use today? 

A. Two, the pressure and the vapor system. 

Q. With which of these systems are blow-off or drip 
valves used? 

A. With the pressure system. No blow-off or drip 
valves are used with the vapor systems 

Q. Are cars equipped with more than one set of 
radiating pipes? 

199 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



A. Yes. Some cars have two or more sets, with 
auxiHary admission valves controlling the steam to 
^ach set. 

Q. What precaution should be taken when uncoup- 
ling steam hose? 

A. See that no pressure remains in train line. 

Q. How should a train be prepared before turning 
on steam for heating? 

A. Connect all couplings between cars (if they are 
frozen thaw them out by blowing steam from one car 
to another), open all train pipe valves, allowing steam 
to blow through the main train pipes, until all water 
is out and only dry steam escapes from rear couplings ; 
then partially close the end train pipe valve. 

Q. If steam will not pass through train line, what 
should be looked for? 

A. End train pipe valves and hose should he. ex- 
amined to see that train pipe valve or inner lining of 
steam hose is not torn or defective. 

Q. If it is found that the hose is frozen when 
making up a train, how should one proceed to thaw 
it out? 

A. By blowing steam from one car to another, leav- 
ing the hose coupling slightly open to let water out as 
ice melts. If frozen solid, change the hose. 

Q. To what temperature should coaches be heated? 

A. Between 65 and 70 degrees. 

Q. For what purpose are special leakage valves 
placed in cross-over pipes under passenger cars, and 
what should be their position when steam is cut out 
from car? 

A. They are to take care of condensation and when 

200 



PASSENGER CAR EMERGENCY REPAIRS 

steam is cut out from car they should be wide open. 

Q. How can time be saved in getting steam through 
a long train? 

A. By breaking the hose two or three cars from 
the engine, allowing the steam to pass through coupling, 
breaking the hose three or four cars farther back and 
so on, until steam comes through the rear end. 

Q. Which end of a cold train would you begin to 
heat first? 

A. The rear end. 

Q. If there is sufficient steam pressure in the tram 
and cars are not heated properly, what is usually the 
difficulty and what should be done? 

A. This would indicate defective drips and they 
should be thoroughly examined, and if frozen, thawed 
out by using steam on the drip. 

Q. What usually causes a steam pipe to freeze up? 

A. Condensation in the pipe which does not have 
the proper chance to escape to the atmosphere, due to 
pipe being out of adjustment or to a leaky admission 
valve. 

Q. When placing cold cars at the head of a train, 
what must be done before coupling to the main oart of 
train ? 

A. Steam should be allowed to pass through cars 
before being coupled to the rear of the train. 

Q. What should be done with steam hose when not 
coupled ? 

A. The hose should be hooked up in the chains 
provided for that purpose. 

Q. When steam is blowing constantly at a drip, 
what does it indicate? 

A. This would indicate that the automatically 

201 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



operated valve fails to seat properly, which may be due 
to improper adjustment of the part, or to the expansive 
fluid contained in the diaphragm having leaked out. 

Q. What should be the position of steam pipe blow 
off valve when steam is being used? 

A. With the direct system it should have just suffici- 
ent opening for water to pass out and with the auto- 
matic type they should be closed entirely. 

Q. Is it possible to turn up the adjusting screws 
too far and prevent proper operation of drips? 

A. It is. 

Q. What should be the pwDsition of steam valves 
when cars are set out or left at terminals ? 

A. They should he left wide open. 

Q. When cars are left for any length of time with- 
out steam, what should be done with hose couplings? 

A. The couplings must be separated, thus allowing 
the water to drain off and prevent freezing. 

There are two general rules of , car heating. The 
first rule is, ''Keep a little steam escaping at the rear 
of the train/' The second rule is, ''Never cut oif steam 
from the train line without first ^opening the rear train 
pipe valve and blowing out the train line." 



202 



INDEX 



Acknowledgment of blue flag rule 22 

Acknowledging mistakes 29 

Accomplishments already attained in Safety First 190 

Adjusting height of couplers 83 

Age of cars 14 

Air brakes 17 

Air brake cards 77 

Air brake recommendations 131 

Air brake repairs 103, 121 

Air brake work 103 

Air hoists 95, 96 

Air hose 43, 75, 138, 195 

Air hose failures 139 

Air hose testing 138 

Air leaks 75 

Air pipes : 132 

Allowing cars to run 17 

Amount of thread on bolts 39 

Angle cock nipples 44 

An illustration of safety first 190 

Appliances 31 

Applying brake beams 49 

Applying draft bolts 61 

Applying keyed coupler 41 

Applying lug straps or glands straps 36 

Applying the brakes 76 

Apprentices 28, 30 

Arch bars 36 

Authority 28 

Autogenous welding in truck repairs 38 

Automatic slack adjusters 132, 136 

Auxiliary reservoirs 76 

Axle records 53 

B 

Bad or<ler cars ! 14 gg 

Bad order track ' gg 

Bearing metal of journal brasses 157 

Bent draft sills ^" ^^ gg 

Best practice used in handling journal boxes 170 

Bettendorf trucks _ 55 

Blacksmith shop 94 

Blue flag rule 22 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Blueprints for ordering arch bar material 37 

Body bolsters 85 

Bolsters 84, 85 

Bolt reclaiming 98 

Boxes 43 

Box covers 160 

Brake beams 35 

Brake beam requirements, M. C. R 13? 

Brake beam supports 137 

Brake burn or burnt chill 59 

Brake burnt wheels 17 

B rake hangers 23 

Brake hanger brackets 19 

Brake hanger castings 22 

Brake chains, U. S. safety applliances 173 

Brake cylinders 126 

Brake cylinders and reservoirs 131 

Brake cylinder packing leathers 127 

Brake cylinder stenciling 127 

Brake cylinders, testing 128 

Brake leverage : 135 

Brake pawls, U. S. safety appliances 174 

Braking power 134 

Brake pins 75 

Brake pipes 132 

Brake pipe nipples 44 

Brake pipe and cylinder pressure 134 

Brake pipe tests 144 

Brake rigging inspection 129-145 

Brake shafts, U. S. safety appliances 173, 175 

Brake shaft rests, U. S. safety appliances 174 

Brake shoes 35 

B rake slides - 60 

Brake staff and connections 74 

Brake step boards, U. S. safety appliances 174 

Brake wheel, U. S. safety appliances 147 

Brasses for journal boxes 157 

Brittle wheels 18 

Broken brake beams or brake rigging 49 

Broken brake hangers castings 22 

Broken draft bolts 17 

Broken draft key 19 

Broken flanges - 18 

Broken side and end ladders 64 

Broken truck frame bolts 197 

Broken yoke rivets 20 

Brutality in giving orders 29 



INDEX 



Buildings at a terminal 80 

Broken gondolas 104 

C 

Caboose platform steps, U. S. safety appliances 177 

Capillary attraction in connection with hot boxes 157, 160 

Car body trussing 50 

Car brass wedges 155 

Cards for air brake defects 77 

Car ends and underframes, reinforcing 104 

Car inspector 17 

Car off center 51 

Car oiling 68 

Care of the journal box 166 

Carmen in connection with passenger car emergency 

repairs 195 

Carpenters 102 

Car repairs 100 

Car room at a small repair point 48 

Car sills 86 

Car standards - 14 

Cast steel draft arms 17 

Cause of derailments 149 

Causes of hot boxes 155 

Causes of slid wheels 17 

Center sills 108 

Censorship 29 

Changing angle cocks 43 

Changing wheels 52 

Changing wheels on a Bettendorf truck 56 

Changing wheels on a Fox truck 55 

Changing wheels in the Vulcan trucks 56 

Charging up the train line 76 

Check system 31 

Check-up forms - 143 

Chisels and chisel bars 88 

Chipped rim 59 

Clamps - 75 

Classes for handling first-aid to the injured 194 

Class of repairs at a large repair point 93 

(Hassification of steel car repairs Ill 

Classification of steel repairs 114 

Classified repairs 14 

Classes of cars 13 

Classes of cars accepted for interchange after October 

1st, 1920 - 108 

Cleaning brake cylinders 126 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Cleaning the triple valve 122 

Closing hopper doors 52 

Coal car sidings 84 

Cold repairs on steel cars 114 

Cold weather and wheels 17 

Column posts 38 

Comparison of methods 15 

Compiling evidence 15 

Compressed air 141 

Condition of cars 13 

Connections and brake staff 74 

Connecting brake rods 50 

Co-operation necessary for safety first 190 

Conditions of lading „... 33 

Conference rulings on automobile cars with swinging 

end doors 180 

Conference rulings regarding passenger and freight cars, 

U. S. safety appliances 182 

Conference rulings U. S. safety appliances regarding lad- 
ders and hand holds 184 

Controversies with the transportation department 30 

Cotter keys :.. 43 

Corner posts 87 

Corrosion 15 

Couplers 40, 83, 102 

Coupling up air hose 75 

Crafts 30 

Cracked plates 60 

Cranes 95, 96 

Cross timbers 86 

Cupola hand holds on caboose cars U. S, Safety appli- 
ances 185 

Cutting out cars 17 

Cylinder pressure 134 

D 

Damage claims - 14 

Damaged lading 17 

Deadly nails from a safety first standpoint 194 

Decisions - 28 

Definition of heavy repairs 112 

Definition of light repairs Ill 

Definition of repairs 24 

Defective air brake cards - 77 

Defective air hose, angle cocks and broken train lines.. 43 

Defective equipment 14 

Defective rails 150 



INDEX 



Defects repaired at a small repair point 48 

Delays 14 

Derailments 149 

Derrick cars 149 

Describing defects on records 33 

Development to railways 15 

Differences between a right and left hand brake beam 49 

Disadvantages of the car department 30 

Dislike of work 28 

Dividends 14 

Division of the air brake equipment on cars 121 

Division of air brake work 121 

Door hasps, locks and guides 42 

Dope for oil boxes 159 

Draft arms if 

Draft bolts 17, 61 

Draft gear 196 

Draft rigging repairs 106 

Draft timbers 82, 89, 102 

Drift pins for lining arch bars 54 

Dry waste in connection with journal boxes 160 

Dynamo bodies, belts, bolts and nuts 197 

Duties of the carman 17, 22 

Duties which are not the carmen's which provide safety 

first 190 

E 

Educating the carman 31 

Effects of age on cars 14 

Efficiency in car terminals 30 

Efficiency meetings 29 

Emergency repairs at a passenger car terminal 198, 199 

Emergency repair trucks 197 

Empty freight equipment 34 

Encouragement 29 

End ladders - 64, 187 

End hand holds (vertical) U. S. safety appliances 181, 182 

End plates 83, 88 

End sills - 82, 102 

Equipment and shop at a large repair point 93 

Equipment necessary for a wrecking train 152 

Examples for an inspector 17 

Excessive friction in connection with hot boxes 155 

Executive ability 27 

Exhaust pipe to triple valve.. 134 

Expense of poor maintenance 14 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



F 

Facilitating car work 31 

Facilities for correcting defects : 15 

Faulty repairs 14 

Figuring braking power 136 

First aid to the injured 193 

Fittings for tank cars 118 

Fit of brasses to journal bearings 157 

Flanges, chipped or broken 18 

Followers '. 36 

Forms and presses 113 

Form for checking up repairs 143 

Foundation brake design on modern passenger equip- 
ment 137 

Foundation brake recommendation on freight equip- 
ment cars 137 

Fox trucks 55 

Freight car shop repairs 91 

Friction in connection with hot boxes 155 

Furnaces 94 

Functions of triple valve - 122 

G 

Gaskets 75, 124 

Gauging tank cars - 118 

General repairs for foundation brake rigging 137 

General repairs to steel cars 114 

Grain leaks 87 

Grain or flour cars 34 

Gondolas bulged - 1^4 

Guns for cutting off rivet heads 116 

H 

Hand brakes 17, 139, 145, 173 

Hand brake inspection — - 129 

Handling wrecks - 1^1 

Fland holds and sill steps 73 

Handy wrenches 72 

Heating forges ^8 

Heating outfits ^^ 

Heating systems of passenger cars 199, 200 

Heavy repairs 25, 81, 82, 100, 112 

Height of couplers S3 

Helping others ^^ 

High capacity cars - 1^ 

High standards 1^ 



INDEX 



Higher wages 30 

Hoists 95, 96 

Hopper doors 52 

Hose gaskets 75 

Hose 75, 138, 139 

Hot boxes 70, 153, 155 

How journal boxes should be packed 159 

Humor in work 28 

I 

Illustrations of safety first as regards to tools 189 

Importance of brake beams 137 

Importance of proper freight train inspection for air 

brakes 147 

Importance of the human elements 27 

Importance of the human equation 29 

Importance of the safety first .subject 189 

Improper repairs 14 

Improvements 14 

Improvised brake hangers 23 

Improvised shoes for Wagner side door fixtures - 20 

Incoming train .....— 67, 141 

Injuries 193 

Inside hung brakes 135 

Inside lining 102 

Inside repair work 121 

Inspecting oil boxes 71 

Inspecting through trains 48 

Inspection 14 

Inspection of brake rigging 145 

Inspection of hand brake 129 

Inspection for leaks 75 

Inspection of hopper or gondola type 34 

Inspection of incoming trains 67 

Inspection of passenger trains 197 

Inspection of records - 33 

Inspection of safety appliances 71 

Inspection of the rip track 129 

Inspector 17 

Insufficient amount of lubricant in connection with hot 

boxes 156 

Insufficient oil - 70 

Interchange points 33 

Intermediate terminal 67 

Intermediate terminal repairs 79 

Inviting cheap labor 30 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Jacks , 94 

Jacking up cars for repairs 57 

Jigs 81 

Journal boxes 153 

Journal brasses 35 

Journal protection 54 

K 

Keeping cars in service 15 

Keeping records 15, 33, 143 

Kerosene on rusty threads 39 

Keyed coupler 41 

Keyed yokes 39 

Kind of packing boxes 168 

Knowledge in regard to wrecks 151 

Knuckles ' 35 

Knuckle pins 35 



Lack of wick contact in connection with hot boxes... .156, 158 

Ladders, U. S. safety appliances 177, 178, 176, 177, 179, 180 

Lading leaks 87 

Large repair car shops and repair tracks 91 

Layout of a large repair point 92 

Leaks 87 

Leaks in release valves 75 

Leakage at the exhaust valve in the triple 76 

Leakage of triple valves 146 

Length and location of brake lever guides 137 

Leverage 135 

Light bad order track 68 

Light inspection repairs - 24 

Light repairs and inspection ....24, 33 

Light repair track work 81, 111 

Light repairs to side doors, tracks, door stops, door 

hasps, locks andi guides 42 

Limits to broken flanges 18 

Limits to slid wheels 17 

Lining -,. 102 

Loaded cars in connection with hot boxes 155 

Load transferring 62 

Local conditions 27 

Location of brake shaft, U. S. safety appliances 175 

Location of defects on triple valve 122 



INDEX 



Locating cause of triple valve leaks 146 

Location and length of brake lever guide 137 

Location of retaining valves 125 

Locking nuts 39 

Long draft timbers 82 

Lost time 31 

Loose truck frame bolts - 199 

Low drawheads 21 

Low wage scales in the car department 30 

Lubricating brake cylinders 126 

Lubricating brake cylinder packing letters 127 

Lubrication of triple valve 124 

Lug or draft castings 36 

Lugs, straps or gland straps 36 

M 

Machines for car work 31 

Maintenance 13, 71 

Maintaining brake cylinders 126 

Maintaining oil box covers 160 

Makeup tracks 75 

Making up trains 75 

Making out inspection records 33 

Manual labor ^ 95 

Master car builders 30 

M. C. B. brake beam requirements 137 

M. C. B. rules 14 applied at interchange point 33 

M. C. B. rules, on wheel defects 18 

M. C. B. rules regarding reinforcing 108 

M. C. B. recommendations regarding brake cylinder and 

triple cleaning 128 

M. C. B. requirements of car brass wedge 155 

Master mechanics 30 

Alaterial 13, 31, 44, 49, 73 

Material reclaiming 98 

Meaning of first aid to the injured 195 

Men employed at a terminal 80 

Merchandise cars ^ 34 

Metal draft arms 108 

Methods of applying brake beams 49 

Method of handling stock 95 

Method of removing and applying brake shoes 35 

Method of testing inbound trains 141 

Methods of work at a large repair point 92 

Mill 94 

Missing cotter keys 43 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Missing or broken brake beams or repairs for brake rig- 
ging 49 

Missing or broken draft key : 19 

Modern repair tracks and shops 15 

Moral courage 28 

Mottos 29 

Moving wheels 52 

N 

Necessary authority 28 

Necessary material 73 

Necessary work 17 

Necessities 15 

Necessity of proper repairs after inspection 34 

Needle beams 86 

Nipples 44 

Notifying agents of pilferage 33 

Number of men employed at a terminal 80 

Number of men per supervision 31 

Number of men used for repair work 14 

Number of men working together at a small repair point.. 48 

Nuts reclaiming 98 

O 

Obsolete light capacity cars. 14 

Obstacles to be met on passenger car emergency repairs.. 197 

Operating levers, U. S. safety appliances 175 

Opinions on tools, appliances and equipment 15 

Optimism in work 28 

Oil 153 

Oil boxes 43 

Oil box bolts 38 

Oil box covers 161 

Oil furnaces 94 

Oil boxes in connection with different classes of lading.. 162 

Oiling journal boxes 167 

Oiling 69 

Oil transferring 64 

One man station , 44 

Ordering arch bar material 37 

Ore loading districts 34 

Origin of first aid to the injured 193 

Organization and supervision 27 

Organization of first aid to the injured , 194 

Other uses for the wrecking train 152 

Output of a large repair point 92 



INDEX 



Outside air brake work 121 

Outbound tests 144 

Outside points 33 

Oxy-acetylene 94 

P 

Packing 159 

Painting 103 

Passenger car emergency repairs 197 

Patching car sidings 84 

Patch work from economy standpoint 34 

Percentage of bad orders 14 

Percentage of cars on home roads 13 

Percentage of cars repaired 14 

Percentage of efficiencj'- in car shops 27 

Percentage of labor charges 29 

Percentage of lading requirements 13 

Percentage of obsolete light capacity cars 14 

Personality of the foreman 28 

Pilferage 33 

Pipes 132 

Pipe fittings 75 

Pipes to retaining valve 133 

Piston travel 50, 76, 129, 142 

Plates cracked 60 

Platform hand holds on caboose cars U. S. safety appli- 
ances 184 

Pneumatic jacks 94 

Pneumatic presses 94 

Points where a small force is employed 47 

Poles 88 

Pooling of cars 13 

Poor maintenance 14 

Portable torches '. 88 

Posts 87 

Practical United Safety appliances 171 

Preparing waste for packing 163 

Presses and forms 1 13 

Preventable accidents 190 

Problems of individual road 14 

Progress made in the past few years 14 

Promotion 15 

Promotion 27 

Promoting the oldest man in service 28 

Promotions from the locomotive department 30 

Protection for the carmen 191 

Protecting journals 54 

Proper appliances 31 

Proper tools 31 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Punch and shear machines 113 

Q 

Qualifications of the carman 16 

Qualifications of the foreman 27 

Qualifications of journal brasses for oil boxes 158 

Questions on steam heat for passenger car..l99, 200, 201, 203 

R 

Rebabbiting journal bearings 157 

Rebuilding both wooden and steel cars 15 

Reclaiming by autogenous welding 113 

Reclaiming material 98 

Reclaiming shop 94 

Recommendations for automatic slack adjusters 136 

Recommended brake pipe pressure 134 

Recommendations for hand brake power 139 

Records 15, 143 

Records at an interchange point 33 

Records for air brakes 143 

Record of axles 53 

Records of repairs 65 

Record of wheels 53 

Reactionary shops 31 

Recognition of first aid to the injured 193 

Reinforcements 91, 108 

Reinforcing car ends on underframes 104 

Release valves 75, 131 

Retaining valves 125 

Right and left hand beams 49 

Removing nuts from bolts 39 

Removing packing 70 

Renewing air hose gaskets '75 

Renewing body bolsters 85 

Renewing car sills - 86 

Renewing corner posts 87 

Renewing draft bolts 61 

Renewing end plates ^3 

Renewing keyed coupler 41 

Renewing knuckles 35 

Renewing end sills 82 

Renewing long draft timbers 82 

Renewing lug or draft castings 36 

Renewing needle beams or cross timbers 86 

Renewing ridge pole 88 

Renewing riveted couplers - 39 



INDEX 



Renewing running boards 65 

Renewing side sills 88 

Renewing sprnigs or followers 36 

Renewing truck springs 50 

Repacking oil boxes 42 

Repairs 05, 100 

Repairs made at a terminal 81 

Repair man 17 

Repair tracks and shops 15, 82 

Repairing arch bars 36 

Repairing a car off center 51 

Repairing and replacing broken train lines 43 

Repairing and replacing defective air hose 43 

Repairing and replacing defective angle cocks 43 

Repairing or replacing missing or broken brake beams 

or brake rigging at small repair points 48 

Repairing body bolsters 85 

Repairing broken sides and end ladders 64 

Repairing corner posts 87 

Repairing long draft timbers 8a 

Repairing needle beams or cross timbers 86 

Repairing running boards 65 

Repairing steel cars 81 

Repairs at an intermediate terminal 70 

Repairs on heavy track work 82 

Repairs on steel cars 114 

Repairs of wooden cars 81 

Repairs to be made by safety appliance men 73 

Repairs to brakes 103 

Repairs to brake beams 35 

Repairs to brake hangers 22 

Repairs to draft gears 20 

Repairs to draft rigging 106 

Repairs to home and foreign cars 13 

Repairs to running boards 74 

Repairs to steel cars 88, ill 

Repairs to tank cars 119 

Repairs to triple valve packing rings.... 123 

Repairs to wooden box cars 100 

Repairs which can be made at an outside point 35 

Repairs which can be handled by one man 34 

Replacing car sills 86 

Replacing- couplers 40 

Replacing defective angle hose, angle cocks and broken 

train line 43 

Replacing knuckle pins 35 

Replacing missing cotter keys 43 

Replacing side sills 88 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Requirements for coarse freight car lading 34 

Requirements for equipment in ore loading districts 34 

Requirements for grain or flour cars .' 34 

Requirements for merchandise for cars 34 

Requirements for oil box wicking 159 

Reservoirs, brake cylinders 13 

Resourcefulness in making temporary repairs 19 

Resourcefulness of the foreman 28 

Responsibilities of roads 14 

Retaining valve pipes 133 

Ridge poles 88 

Rip track inspection 129 

Riveted couplers 39 

Riveted draft gear attachments... 20 

Rivet guns 116 

Rivet-heating forges 88 

Raising heavy materials or appliances with safety first in 

mind 191 

Rank and file 14 

Ratchet wheels 74 

Roof hand holds U. S. Safety appliances 185 

Rough material 31 

Rules 22 

Running boards 65, 74, 185, 186 



Safe guarding tools 190 

Safety appliances 71, 73, 102, 171 

Safety first and the carman 189 

Safety railings, U. S. safety appliances 187 

Safety requirements 15 

Safety valves on tank cars 118 

Satisfied men - 29 

Saturation tests of waste 160 

Scaffolds - 98 

Secondary positions of the car department 30 

Second hand material 49 

Selection of material ^ 3i 

Self control 29 

Service tracks 80, 94 

Shelled out wheels 17, 59 

Shocks 14, 15 

Shoes for Wagner side door fixtures 20 

Shop and equipment at a large repair point 93 

Shop crafts - 30 

Shop organization 29, 94 



INDEX 



Short fibre in waste 160 

Side doors 42 

Side door steps 42 

Side door tracks 42 

Side hand holds, U. S. safety appliances 182, 183, 184 

Side and end ladders G4 

Side sills 88 

Side stakes 89 ' 

Sidings to cars 84 

Sills 102 

Sill steps and hand holds 73 

Sill steps, U. S. safety appliances 175, 176 

Skilled worker 30 

Slid wheels 17 

Slide valve repairs to triple valve 123 

Sluggards 29 

Spacing of treads for ladders, U. S. safety appliances 180 

Special draft rigging repairs 106 

Special tools 31 

Springs 36 

Springs and followers to draft gear 17 

Stakes 89 

Standards 13, 14 

Standard equipment 134 

Steam heat 196 

Steam hose 195 

Steel cars 88 

Steel car repairs 81, 111 

Steel draft timbers 89 

Stenciling ..103, 127 

Steel underframes 115 

Stirring packing 70 

Storeroom and stock 95 

Stretching trains - 75 

Subject of hot boxes 153 

Successful organization 31 

Supervision 27 

Supervision of the wrecking train 152 

Survey of safety first appliances 171 

Swing beam bolsters 85 

Switching shocks 14 

T 

Taking records of repairs 65 

Taking up slack in brake rigging 42 

Tank cars 117 

Tank car gauging — - 118 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Tank car repairs 119 

Tank fittings, to tank cars , 118 

Templates 31 

Temporary protection against further pilferage 33 

Temporary repairs 19 

Terminal buildings 80 

Terminal inspection for pfassenger car emergency repairs.. 195 

Terminal repairs 79, 81 

Testing brake cylinders 128 

Testing brake pipes for leaks 144 

Testing freight trains 76, 141 

Testing hand brakes 145 

Testing hose 138 

Testing outbound trains 144 

Testing trains 146 

Tests on saturation of waste 160 

The carman and his work 15 

The foreman 27 

The working force .— .: 14 

Tie strap ' 17 

Tightening column posts and oil box posts 38 

Timbers 89 

Tools 44, 72, 113, 115 

Tools for packing journal boxes 170 

Tools for quantity production 31 

Tools used in passenger car repair work 196 

Track 68, 94, 150 

Tracks at a terminal 80 

Track layout for a small repair point 48 

Trains - 75 

Trainmaster in connection with wrecks 152 

Train yard -.-— ^'^ 

Training of the carman 16 

Transferring lading 5'^ 

Transferring loads 62 

Transferring long poles ^^ 

Transferring oil 64 

Transferring wheels 60 

Transportation department 3^ 

Treatment of the carman ''•^ 

Trestles 37, 99 

Triple valve ^^^ 

Triple valve cleaning 122 

Triple valve exhaust pipe 134 

Triple valve gaskets 1^4 

Triple valve leaks "76, 14G 

Triple valve lubrication - 1^* 



INDEX 



Triple valve repairs 123 

Triple valve slide valve repairs 123 

Trucks 102 

Truck bolsters 84 

Trucks for making emergency repairs 197 

Truck frames on passenger cars 196 

Truck levers for draft gear keys 20 

Truck repairs 102 

Truck rods on passenger cars 196 

Truck springs 50 

Trucks, suspension of brakes 135 

Trussing a car body 50 

Types of air brake equipment 134 

U 

Uncoupling levers, U. S. safety appliances 175 

Underframe 15, 115 

Unions 75 

Unnecessary work 17 

Use of trestles 37 

Use of washers 39 

U. S. safety appliances 72, 17:1 

V 

Valves on tank cars 118 

Vulcan trucks 56 

W 

Wagner side door fixtures 20 

Waiting for repairs 17 

Waste for packing 163 

Weak draft sills 89 

Welding 94, 112 

What a safe carman does 192 

What constitutes heavy repairs 25 

What constitutes light repairs 24 

What must be accomplished to get safety first 189 

Wheels 17, 53, 58, 198 

Wheel defects 58 

Wheel failures 58 

.Wheel records , 53 

Wheel shop 94 

Wheel transfer .— .. 60 

Why cars come to rip track 14 

Wick contact 156, 158 

Wooden box car repairs 100 



THE CARMAN'S HELPER 



Wooden cars 81 

Wood shop 94 

Wooden underframe - 15 

Working schedules 31 

Work on light repair tracks 81 

Wrecks 151 

Wrecking crane 152 

Wrenches 39, 72 

Y 

Yard : 67 

Yard testing plants 141 



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Every wideawake Carman in the Brother- 
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Car Inspector's Guide 

200 questions and answers for both 
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Foundation Brake Fundamentals 

1 35 questions and answers on the car brake 
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Kinks, Jigs and Devices 

Short cut methods for facilitating the work 
about the car repair yards. Full of illustrations. 

Freight Car Safety Appliances Pictured 

Safety appliance law^s described by means of 
plain reading and 1 8 drawings. 



Price of any one of the above books 40 cents 
postpaid to members of the Brotherhood Rail- 
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Trade Educational Bureau 

522 Hail Eldg. Kansas City, Mo. 

BROTHERHOOD RAILWAY CARMEN 
OF AMERICA 



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Trade Educational Bureau 

522 Hall Bldg. KANSAS CITY, MO. 

BROTHERHOOD RAILWAY CARMEN 
OF AMERICA 



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